Back From The Dead: The Master Heart
by The Devil Deity
Summary: Mario has lead a quite life in the Mushroom Kingdom after the Smash Bros Tournament. However,when he recieves a letter from Luigi offering to answer questions that plague Mario's head since he defeated Master Hand,it's clear that all is not as it seems...
1. A Prelude

**Back from the Dead **

**This is the Emperor of Eggs. I don't own any of these characters. They belong to their owners Nintendo .This is my first Fanfic so flames and suggestions to make this better are accepted. Thank you! **

**Final Destination**

"Mario Tornado!"

"Luigi Cyclone!"

"Dread Fist!"

"Finger Rocket!"

Their cries rang out again as the Mario Bros charged the field at the Hands once more. Mario and Luigi had already figured out that Master and Crazy Hand had used the tournament as a cover-up in an attempt to destroy the Smashers all at once. Most of the other Smashers had already been knocked clean out. Even Link, the Hero of Time had succumbed to the Hands power. Mario and Luigi were the last pair standing, the final obstacle in the Hands quest for dominance over Nintendo World. Mario had taken Master Hand, and Luigi took Crazy Hand. Mario shot upwards in a shower of coins at Master Hand, smacking him several times. "Enough!" screamed Master Hand. "I've had enough of this crap!" he yelled, flying straight forward. "It's a-you who brought this on your self, Master Hand!" Mario retorted loudly, drawing his cape. He let fly as soon as Master drew close, sending him flying away in the opposite direction. "Well that gives me-a some time to help Luigi!" he said to him self and ran across the field.

Luigi was faring no better. Crazy Hand kept on using his corkscrew manoeuvre, making Luigi spin in circles. "WaHaHa! I hAvE yOu NoW!" Crazy Hand yelled, laughing with triumph.

"You're a-good…BUT I'M A-BETTER!" Luigi shouted, rising to his feet.

"So YoU wAnT mOrE?" Crazy Hand replied, immediately closing in on Luigi. Luigisimply crouched low. Crazy Hand was closing in fast.

"FoOlIsH pLuMbEr, I hAvE yOu NoW!" Crazy Hand bellowed. What he did not see was Luigi speeding towards him.

"MISFIRE!" Luigi yelled, flying forwards at Crazy Hand. "OH SHI-" Crazy Hand began, but was cut of by Luigi's headbutt, which sent Crazy Hand flying backwards.

"Luigi!" Mario called. Luigi turned round to see Mario running towards him.

"Right Mario, time to finish this!" Luigi said. They both nodded at each other. At once two fireballs, one green for Luigi and one orange for Mario, appeared in both of their hands, growing in size until it blotted out most light on the field.

"Now a- Crazy Hand, it's a- time to say good bye!" Mario yelled above the roaring flames.

"No…" said Crazy Hand, floating back. " NOOOOOOOO!" he screamed.

" Eat a this!" Luigi shouted, releasing the fireball, Mario doing the same. A hideous scream emitted from Crazy Hand. The cry was so horrible it made Mario's scalp prickle. Crazy Hand was sent flying back…back into the Pit of Despair…his scream lowering in volume until….silence.

Mario let out a sigh and turned around, only to find Master Hand had returned.

"WHERE IS HE!" Master Hand shrieked. "I'LL KILL YOU! YOU KILLED CRAZY, SO I'M GONNA KILL LUIGI!" he screamed in rage. Without warning he lunged forward, grabbing hold of Luigi.

"No!" Mario yelled, running forward. Master Hand flung Luigi to the ground and swatted Mario, sending him sailing away overhead.

"Now, my revenge…" said Master Hand, floating towards the prone Luigi. Suddenly a sharp punch on his knuckle caused him to turn around, only to be met with a fly-kick from Mario.

"ARGH!" Master Hand roared. "TIME TO END THIS!" he bellowed, charging full speed toward Mario. Luigi, who had by now regained consciousness, had a strange fire burning in his eyes. He through himself between Master Hand and Mario….and was smacked off the edge.

"LUIGI!" Mario shouted, running towards the edge of Final Destination but stopped as he saw Luigi trying to clamber back on to the battlefield. He slipped, and hung to the ledge by one hand. In Mario's mind he realized with growing horror at what Luigi was going to do. "Mario, it's been a great time together…but now… it needs to end." Luigi said. Mario uttered a wounded cry and ran full speed at Luigi, who did nothing, only waited expectantly. "Farewell…my brother" Luigi said with a smile. And with that, he let go of the edge…just as Mario reached it.

"LUIGI!" Mario yelled as Luigi fell down….further…further into the darkness. Mario stopped. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. He sank to his knees, weeping for his now dead brother.

"Well what do ya know? I got vengeance after all!" Master Hand said, appearing pleased. "Even though it was less satisfying than I thought…" he said to himself, quiet to stop Mario from hearing the snide comment. Mario must have heard because he turned round, his eyes blazing with loss and fury.

"What…did…you…SAY?" Mario said, his voice trembling with molten anger.

"Oh don't mind me. Just thinking out loud." Master Hand said, a weasily tone in his voice. "Not that he was much use anyway," he said again. Mario wheeled around, his face red with rage.

"ENOUGH TALK. DIE, MASTER HAND!" Mario bellowed, running towards Master Hand.

"Feh. Come on. Let's get this over with." Master Hand said, looking unnerved. Mario jumped and delivered a fireball to Master Hands knuckle.

"That's all you got?" Master Hand said tauntingly, making Mario seethe. He then started to rain a score of blows on Master Hand, most of which he dodged or blocked.

"YOU…WILL…DIE!" Mario screamed.

"That's it. Just blame your brother's death on me. Well I accept the blame. I get blamed for every other problem in Nintendo World, so I might as well be blamed for causing the deaths of the confounded Mario Brothers!" Master Hand snarled. His sneer was stopped short as a searing pain shot through his finger. He gave a pained howl and looked at his index finger. All that was left was a helpless white stump with purple darkness swirling out.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME, YOU BASTARD!" Master Hand screamed in agony. He looked up and saw what he'd missed. Mario was holding a sword made entirely off flame.

"Master Hand! Your time is a up!" Mario yelled above the roaring flames. "Say a good night, you bitch!" he yelled, raising the sword to Master Hand's level.

"NNNOOOOOOOO!" Master Hand screamed as an enormous jet of fire that sprang from the sword in Mario's hand tore into Master Hand. It formed a solid ball around him, crushing any hopes of escape. Suddenly a purple and red portal with a bright light in the centre appeared, growing in size until it blocked out most other sights.

"Looky here! Looks like your homes here, Master Hand!" Mario exclaimed, drawing closer to him.

"No…not… the Pit! I beg you; don't send me back to that pit of Hell!" Master Hand pleaded.

For a moment Mario gave him a flat stare. Then: "You never gave Luigi a chance to plead for his life. You gave him no mercy…so you in turn shall receive none!"

Mario shouted, swinging the sword like a Home-Run Bat. He hit the case of fire Master Hand as if it were a ball, sending him straight into the portal. Just before he was sucked in, Master Hand bellowed: "I'LL BE BACK, MARIO! I'LL BE BACK!" And with that he disappeared into the vortex. Mario sank to his knees, breathless. And then he heard a voice, faint but able to be heard. He heard three words: "It is finished…" and then…silence.

**Well that's the first chapter of Back from the Dead up! R&R and enjoy! Bye!**


	2. A Letter from Him

_Back from the Dead-Chapter 2-A letter from Him _

…That was five years ago. Five years since The Hands twisted plot had failed at the hands of Mario. Even after five years the mental scar of Luigi's demise still haunted Mario's dreams. This is where Mario's adventure began. He would cross foreign lands, battle monsters and uncover a betrayal so shocking it will change his life forever….

The Pit of Despair

Master Hand sighed. Five years he had been down in The Pit. Five long years with nothing to do. No minions to create, no people to kill, no lands to destroy… He was stuck there until the end of time, floating throughout time and space.

"Stuck here until the end of my days… is this how I meet my end?" Master Hand said, sighing again. He lashed out against the invisible barrier which kept him in place, being deflected of it instead of passing through the purple haze which locked him in an invisible cell.

"Why… why did I end up like this? What evil am I fuelled with?" Master Hand thought, pounding the barrier in a futile attempt to break free. As always he was deflected as if he was no more than a fly. He screamed in frustration, which caused Crazy Hand to float up behind him.

"Do NoT gIvE uP hOpE, bRoThEr!" Crazy Hand said, trying to comfort Master Hand.

"I kNoW tHaT, oNe DaY wE wIlL bReAk FrEe Of ThIs HeLl-HoLe AnD-" but he was cut of when Master Hand flew up to Crazy Hand, an inch away from his knuckles.

"And how do we do that! EH, ya stupid bastard!" Master Hand said, speaking in a rage-filled voice.

"Take a look around you, Crazy!" Master Hand said, gesturing around him.

"We're standing- well floating to be exact- in a dimension beyond time and space, surrounded by impenetrable barriers! No, we are here forever. Tell me though. If it were possible…how would you get yourself out? Please elaborate on how." Master Hand said, drawing away from Crazy.

"Ermmm…" Crazy Hand began, but was cut off by a voice behind them.

"Say please and I might help you." Said the voice. It was evil and gruff but somehow familiar. Master & Crazy Hand spun around, looking to see who the voice belonged to. Then they saw it. A hooded figure hovering just a few feet away. A long, flowing robe hung down to the man's, the ghost, the demons, whatever is was, feet.

"Who are you!" Master Hand yelled at the figure. The figure remained silent and motionless.

"SHOW YOUR FACE!" Master & Crazy yelled in unition. From under the dark hood they saw a gleam of white. It was the creature teeth, all filed to a point, bearing a cruel smile.

"As you wish…" the figure said in a mocking tone. Master & Crazy Hand watched in a mixture of wonder and horror as the creature's hands grabbed the hood. One hand was a human hand; the other was a black taloned claw.

"Behold!" the creature cried, wrenching back the hood and exposing its face. "Remember me?"

Mater & Crazy Hand watched, dumbstruck, at the figure. Master Hand raised a quivering finger at the shadow and said in a quaking voice:

"No… no… it can't be you…its impossible!" Master Hand shrieked, backing away. The figure's right demonic eye shone with evil glee.

"My dear Master Hand…NOTHING is impossible!" the shadow said, revealing more white filed teeth as it evil grin widened. It threw back its head and laughed an evil, maniacal laugh.

Mushroom Kingdom

Mario awoke with a start, sweating in the darkness of night and breathing hard. His rapid breathing slowly ceased back to its normal rate. Mario shook his head hard.

Wow, he though to himself, sitting bolt upright in bed. Was…was that a dream? Or was that real? He turned on the mushroom shaped lampshade towards his clock. It read 5:19.

I might as well get up now. No chance I'll get back to sleep with a dream as vivid as that bouncing around my head, Mario thought. He lifted the now-suffocating quilt that rested that laid on top of him, quickly placed on his usual red shirt with hazy-blue overalls, brown shoes and left the room, stopping at the coat-hanger to fit on his trademark red cap. He closed the door and locked it, spinning the key on his index finger.

Something's wrong, he thought to himself. Why am I having these dreams? Something's happening…and the Hands are part of it. He walked along the hallway. Ever since the Hands were defeated, Peach had been kind enough to have given him a room to stay in the Mushroom Palace, since Mario had no home to go to because the Hands had destroyed his home during their rise to power.

She's been kind to me, Mario thought, opening the door to the foyer. I think I should tell her about these weird dreams. He approached the exit of the palace which, was guarded by eight heavily armed Toads.

"Ahh Sir Mario! How do you do?" One of the Toads, the captain, asked Mario.

"I'm fine. I just need to go for a walk." Mario replied, trying his hardest not to look worried. The captain somehow missed the change of voice Mario had.

"Well of course, Sir! We'll raise the gate right away!" The captain said, standing straight.

"Move you backsides!" The captain yelled over his shoulder. The Toads, who were almost asleep, immediately jumped up and started scrambling around, trying to find the control panel that opened the gate. After nearly tem minutes the dozy squad finally found the control panel which, ironically, was hidden under a pile of mushrooms.

"Sorry about the delay Sir." The captain said, turning back to face Mario. "The bloody idiots got their weekly parcel of mushrooms, as well as a few bottles of Bean-Bean Kingdom cider. It literally knocked them out." He said, giving a forced chuckle. Mario could clearly see that the captain was embarrassed by the soldier's lack of focus on their duties.

"Don't apologize. You should be proud, Captain." Mario said wearily. His head felt as if would erupt with the amount of thoughts swirling around his mind. The captain straightened, obviously loving the praise.

"Of course sir!" The captain straightened up even more.

"OK gates open!" One of the Toads yelled.

"Have a nice day Sir Mario!" The captain bowed low.

"Bye." Mario said, and strode past. By now the sun was slowly rising over the Kingdom Plains. Mario continued to walk, his head filled with confusion.

Well whatever these visions mean, I'd be a half-wit to ignore them. The last time I had dreams this bad the Hands rose to power. He found a bench suited at the tip of a cliff were he went to find peace and sat down in the middle of it, staring at the stars in the distance. He breathed and rubbed his hands in a bid to remain warm.

"Why are you up this early, Mario?" said a voice from behind him. Mario spun around, trying to discern the source of the unmistakable voice. It was Yoshi.

"Oh, I thought it was you, Yoshi." Mario said, never taking his eyes of him. Yoshi sat down beside him.

"How can you go on like this, Mario?" Yoshi asked worriedly. "You've been distracted of late and I know so don't deny it."

"Huh. It's nothing. Honestly it isn't." Mario replied, staring at the turning stars. By now the bloated sun was nearly above the hills over the plains.

"Come now Mario. I've travelled with you long enough to know whether you're in pain… or worry. So come on, tell me!" Yoshi said, looking him straight in the eye. Mario gave a weary sigh in admition.

"Ok. You win." Mario took a deep breath. "But first you must promise me never to tell another soul of what I'm about to say."

"Why should I gag myself?" Yoshi demanded. "Is it because you don't trust me?"

"It's not that, Yoshi. I want to tell Peach myself and if you tell the Toads, it would cause mayhem across the Mushroom Kingdom." Mario retorted. Yoshi was silent for a while. Then:

"Ok you have my word. Now what's troubling you, Mario?" Yoshi said.

"Do you remember when I told you about those dreams I had just before the Hands tournament?" Yoshi gave a silent nod.

"Well… I've been having nightmares about the Hands lately." Yoshi gave another nod.

"And…" Mario went on, "I see a figure, talking to them, saying he'll 'set the free'. I have a really bad feeling about this. Something's wrong… and the Hands are part of it." Mario let out a breath, glad to confide in someone at last.

"Well…" Yoshi said, scratching his round, green nose. "The last time this happened the Hands came." He paused.

"I think you should tell Peach about this. This is too important to ignore. Who knows? The Hands could come back again." Yoshi said, looking up at the blood-red sky.

"Ah but listen to me, telling you what and what not to do." Yoshi said again, still peering at the sky.

"Well I need to go Mario. Peach wants me at the castle." Yoshi said, rising to his feet.

"I'll go with you." said Mario, also rising to his full height. "I've kept this from Peach for far too long. About time I told her." They walked back to the palace, exchanging stories and riddles as they went, with Yoshi solving the majority of them. They arrived at the gates within a half hour. The same captain of the guards Mario saw on his out of the castle. But something was wrong with the captain. He was shivering. Not with the cold but by something else suspected Mario. The captain spotted Mario first, then Yoshi, before they had reached the gates. The captain hurried up to them as fast as his quivering legs would allow.

"Sir Mario! H-How are you both?" The captain said in a quaky voice.

"What's wrong, captain? Are you sick?" Mario and Yoshi said together.

"No I'm not sick…but I am creeped out." The captain said, starting to sound more like himself now. He paused.

"A while ago some weirdo came up to the gates with a letter for you, Sir. It made my skin crawl just to take a look at him. A huge black wing sprouted from his back and his voice… I swear it was like a snake's. I wish the changing of the guard had happened two hours early." The captain said with a shudder. Mario and Yoshi nodded.

"I was summoned by Princess Peach. Could I get through to see her?" Yoshi asked.

"Of course! The gates open!" The captain said, appearing cheery. But Mario and Yoshi knew that he was trying desperately not to be sick in front of them.

As Mario walked past he handed the captain two coins and said:

"Don't worry captain. I'll ask Peach if she'll give you and your troops an extra day of." The captain's face brightened.

"We could do with that, Sir! We could all use it!" The captain replied.

"I'll see to it." Mario promised and walked away, handing two coins to every guard. Together Mario and Yoshi entered to foyer, wondering who the mystery letter was from. They turned a corner into a sitting area. Peach was sitting there, sitting by a log fire, with an unopened envelope on a chair beside her. She clearly looked worried at something.

"Umm…Princess?" said Yoshi sounding worried. Peach lifted her head.

"Mario! Are you alright?" Peach exclaimed, throwing her arms around Mario. Yoshi looked at him in annoyance at being ignored.

"Umm of course Peach." Mario pulled away from her. "Why?" Peach breathed a sigh of relief, then gave Mario a slap on the head.

"Where have you been! You've been having dreams about the Hands and you go of wandering when one of the Hands servants could have got you!" Peach ranted.

"I needed to think about-"Mario stopped dead in mid-sentence. A click went in his mind.

"Hang on…how did you know I've been having dreams about the Hands?" Mario said suspiciously.

"Because I know, that's why!" Peach snapped. "Besides, you just admitted it, didn't you?" Mario opened his mouth to reply but then slammed his mouth shut. She was right. He had just admitted it. She's crafty, Peach is, thought Mario.

"Well." Peach said, jolting Mario from his thoughts. "Here's the letter that creep delivered." She handed the black envelope to Mario. "Let's hear what it says." Mario again opened his mouth to protest but Yoshi silenced him with a fierce stare.

"Fine." growled Mario. Peach smiled, pleased with herself for getting her own way.

"Use that if you wish." Peach said, jabbing a finger at a silver letter-opener. Mario forced himself a smile.

"Thank you."

Carefully opening the black envelope, he gripped the parchment. Slowly, he unfolded the letter. It read:

**Dear Sir Mario,**

**I have reason to** **believe that you have questions dating from Master Hands Tournament that you would like answered. Well, I will do that. I know that you think Luigi is dead but he's not. I'm alive and well, brother. Come to the fortress I reside in. A picture of it is in the envelope. I look forward to the day we meet again, Mario!**

**You're Brother…**

Mario's heart missed a few beats as he read who the letter came from. Confusion and joy radiated from him. The air around him seemed to be muted in response.

"Mario?" a voice said from behind him.

"Huh?" and suddenly he was back in the sitting room surrounded by Peach and Yoshi.

"Well who's the letter from?" Peach and Yoshi exclaimed together.

"It's…it's from…" Mario stuttered.

"YES!" Peach and Yoshi exclaimed loudly. Finally finding his voice, Mario whispered:

"It's from Luigi."


	3. And so it begins

Hey people. The Devil Deity here. I forgot to mention this back in A Letter from Him but some of my own characters will feature in this story so… just to tell you incase anyone says anything about them not being a Nintendo character, OK?

**Chapter 3- And so it begins…**

Mushroom Kingdom

Peach and Yoshi stared wide-eyed at Mario, the words they were trying to say fumbling about there mouths. That's impossible! Peach yearned to scream aloud. Yoshi shot Peach a stare. Peach stared at Yoshi in silence for a moment, then erupted into hysterical laughter, falling to ground and pounding the mauve carpet that covered the floor with both fists. Mario's face tightened in annoyance.

"What's so funny? I'm telling the truth!" Mario said angrily, thrusting the letter into Peach's face, glaring at Yoshi all the while. Peach ripped the letter from Mario's grip, trying desperately not to erupt into hysterics again. Yoshi, however, was still pounding the carpet and near weeping with laughter.

"Hmm…." Peach said to herself, reading in frenzy. Yoshi seemed to have overcome his fit of giggles, listening intently to see what Peach make off this ridiculous hoax.

"I'm still alive…come to this location…" Peach finished reading into herself, then raised her head, an expression of shock across her face.

"Well?" Yoshi said, eying her intently. Mario fell onto an armchair as if he was a miniature boulder.

Peach just stared at the letter. "It… It can't be…"

"I'm telling you Peach it's Luigi's handwriting. And signature to boot!" Mario said quickly, staring at the floor all the while.

Yoshi just eyed him, then spoke up, saying:

"That may be true but Luigi couldn't have survived a fall like that without a Feather! You know it, I know it, and everyone else knows it!" He paused to take a breath. Mario clasped his hands behind his back.

"Maybe but…" Mario began, but stopped short. Slowly he rose to his feet from the chair he sat on.

"Well, I'd better get my things together." He said, rising to his full height.

"I'll leave tomorrow." He said, beginning to exit from the room, but Peach barred his way.

"Erm…why? We don't know if this is a joke or not!" Peach exclaimed, an edge Mario was unaccustomed too in her voice.

"But Peach-"

"No! Why do you want to go on this scatterbrained journey? Eh?"

"Because."

"Because! Is that all you can say! Luigi died in front of your eyes! He's dead! Do you hear me?" Mario stayed silent, suddenly finding the floor very interesting, when Yoshi piped up, saying:

"I don't mean to take sides but that picture of where Mario is supposed to meet Luigi… that's no drawing. That's an actual photo of… some place I've never seen before."

Mario picked up the photo. It showed some sort of… structure. A castle, a fortress, he wasn't sure, was depicted against a dark background, with dark clouds billowing over it. Mario nearly laughed. Ever since the Bo Manor Incident which resulted in himself being turned into a painting and being freed by Luigi, he, that is Luigi, had an affinity for spooky Gothic- style places. Peach glared at Yoshi, who recoiled under her ferocious stare.

"Maybe… but how can he be alive?" Peach said, finally sounding normal. Mario was silent for a while, thinking of a reason to go on his adventure. Then-

"Peach, I need to." He said, looking straight into her chocolate- coloured eyes. "This may be my last chance to see if my brother is alive." When Peach remained silent he said:

"Well." He said, taking a step forward. "Theirs no sense in talking on this any more. I'd better get ready." Mario said, and he made to go, but Peach barred him again.

"But you can't go!" She said. Mario raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

"Because you're needed here!"

"For what?" Mario roared. Peach now seemed small and frail compared to him. "Do you just expect me to stay and hide away for the rest of my days, not knowing whether or not my brothers alive!" He paused, then adopted a gentler tone. "This could be my last chance to know for sure. So… I leave tomorrow." He made to go, but once again Peach stopped him.

"Stop. There is something I need to tell you." She said. Mario looked at her as if she was alien but sat back down without protest.

"Recently…" Peach began slowly. "Their have been a string of attacks on other cities in Nintendo World." She paused as looks of shock and suspicion crossed Mario and Yoshi's faces.

"On top of that…" She went on. "There have been reports of an entity with one wing and filed teeth roaming the lands. The people think it's a sign evil is coming." More disturbance appeared on Yoshi's and Mario's faces.

"Worst of all…" She paused, trying to compose herself and mentally brace herself at the same time. "The Hands have… disappeared from the Pit." Almost immediately black curses and babbles of questions flew from Mario and Yoshi.

"How did this happen! It's not possible!"

"No being is strong enough!"

"How many people know!" So many questions burned in Peach's ears she erupted into ear-ripping screams.

"I DON'T KNOW! FOR GOODNESS SAKE GIVE ME A BREAK!"

Both Mario and Yoshi stopped, aghast at Peach's fury. They had rarely seen her a tad miffed, let alone being angry.

"All I know." Peach went on, "is that the Hands have escaped and nothing more." She stopped for a breath. Just then Mario rose from his chair and said:

"Well… I guess I'll a-need to be more careful on the road. I get my a- things together. I'll leave early." Just as Mario was through the door Yoshi called after him.

"Wait! I'll go to Mario!" Yoshi hurried to his side, walking at a reasonable pace beside him. Mario stopped. He looked at Yoshi with gratitude.

"You sure? Injury may be involved."

"'Course I'm sure! A bit of adventure would do me good." Yoshi replied. Mario thought for a moment. It would be good to have his faithful companion along for the ride. Even if he said no Yoshi would come anyways.

"Sure. I a- see no problem in that. Get you things together and meet me back here in three hours at the castle's front door." Yoshi gave an enthusiastic grin.

"Ok Mario! See you soon!" And with that he ran of back down the hall, smiling all the way.

"Well I'd better get ready to." Mario said to himself. And he sped down the hall.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Said The Emperor, leading Master & Crazy Hand into an enormous hall. Master Hand shivered in anticipation.

Something's coming right around the corner, aimed at us, he thought.

"It's not much but, you know, it does." The Emperor continued. His words meant little to Master Hand as he floated through the ridiculously lengthily hall. Beside him Crazy Hand whispered:

"If his head were any bigger he wouldn't fit in the hall." Master Hand struggled to hold his laughter. Then just as quickly regain his composure.

"Guard your comments better or we'll end up in the Pit again." A tall man who Master Hand reckoned to be nine foot tall peered at them.

"Be quiet when The Emperor is talking to you." He said, boring into the Hands with stony eyes. When he took them of Master Hand he noticed that instead of skin, flesh and bone making the mans hands it was solid rock. Master Hand eyed them nervously. One blow from those would knock us to the Cosmos, he thought. When he took himself off those almighty fists he found that they had already reached the end of the hall. Against the wall was a black throne. Not a curdy of gold, silver or any precious jewel was set in it. The Emperor sat on it.

"So you're wondering why you're here aren't you?" He said to the Hands, reclining back. Both Hands said 'yes' at the same time.

"Well, I be blunt. I am a spirit who, for reasons I'll explain later, want revenge on the Smashers, as well as rounding up the members of The Coalition."

"The Coalition?" queried Crazy Hand.

"Yes. Mewtwo, Ganondorf and Bowser, who I already have in my possession." He pointed a taloned hand at a figure in the background. Master Hand turned to see a life-sized Bowser statue. The statue depicted Bowser shielding himself from something, the eyes wide in fear, as if someone was about to kill him. Master Hands felt a feeling of pity and fright well in him. How has he obtained such power? He thought, shivers running through his entire length.

"You've seen what I can do so now, I'll explain. Once long ago I had the power of a god. Then those cursed Smashers ancestors, together with the Goddesses of Hyrule, defeated me and shattered my being into five pieces. I have currently recovered one piece of myself from that fool Bowser."

"And you want us to get the rest." Master Hand concluded.

"Very much so, Hand. After that I want you to warm up the guests until they get here." The Emperor told them cryptically. The Hands just bobbed.

"So here's what I want you to do…"

Mushroom Kingdom

There we go! Mario thought to himself. He had fished out four pairs of clean blue overalls, four red shirts, two pairs of brown shoes and of course, two of his trademark caps. For food he had 'borrowed' three packets of spaghetti and a jar of sauce, two pizzas and a five pound tub of pasta. He had swiped one of Peach's pot and a flask holding… water. And that was his pack. He didn't bother to bring a tent, since Yoshi didn't need one. He slipped the pack over his shoulders, left the room and locked the door. Instead of slipping the key in his pocket he tossed it out the window. He would have lost it anyways, so why keep it? He advanced down the corridor, tingling in excitement. He arrived at the gate in ten minutes, seeing Peach and Yoshi already standing there.

"Mario…" she said "Have a safe trip." She pushed a small bag of coins into Mario's chest.

"Thank you." He whispered. Then he turned towards Yoshi. "Well let's go."

Together they made there way down to the castle gates. Peach watched as they dwindled in size. "Captain Toadamire!" she called, never taking her eyes of the now tiny Mario and Yoshi. The Captain hurried to her side.

"Double all patrols around the Mushroom Kingdom." She ordered. The Captain bowed his head.

"Not to be rude, My Lady but what is your reason?" Peach stared of into the distance. Mario and Yoshi had now vanished from view.

"Because… an ominous storm is gathering."

Unaware to Mario and Yoshi they were being watched from the trees beside Peach's castle. A dark figure with one wing laughed mirthlessly to himself.

"Well my friends. Your adventure has begun. And soon, oh so very soon, I will eradicate you from the face of this planet!" He cackled menacingly and disappeared inside the trees.

**Urg. Sorry it took so long but I've been getting demoralized by the amount of reviews I'm getting now. Come on people Review!**


	4. The Arrival

**After a loooooooonnnnnngggg talk with Kenrai & Co I have decided to- oops! Out of room! Anyhoo next chappy!**

**Chapter 4- The Arrival**

**Mushroom Kingdom **

Mario and Yoshi advanced down the valley, grunting already under the rather large weight of their packs and sweating buckets. They had already argued about the best way to Mushroom City. Unfortunately, due to the fact that Yoshi had the map the wrong way round, they ended up going the opposite way, straight into Mushroom Forest. As a result talk was sparse and both of them were short-tempered and more than once they had to stop and rest. After little more than an hour of walking, Mario finally saw a light through the trees. Excited, he alerted the ready-to-drop Yoshi, who suddenly turned into an egg (pack and all) and rolled away towards it, leaving the slightly chubbier Mario behind. He didn't bother to attempt to outrun Yoshi. One- Because, in egg form, Yoshi were the fastest creatures in then world. And two- Mario had no chance.

"I can see some problems will arise from him." Mario gave a tired, mirthless chuckle. He sat on a fallen tree, thankful that the minuscule green dinosaur had gone, and thankful to have gained a rest. Not long after ten minutes Yoshi reappeared. Using a log as a ramp he drove straight of it, smashed out of his egg in midair and landed right in front of Mario, somersaulting and landing on his feet.

"Ta-da!" He said, looking pleased with himself. Mario just frowned at him.

"Did you see what's up ahead?" He queried, adjusting his pack.

"As a matter of fact I did." Said Yoshi, throwing his pack to the ground and joining Mario on the log. "There's a town up ahead, but it's not Mushroom City." He watched as Mario got to his feet.

"To hell with that! Let's stop in the town. No way am I dragging this lot all the way back there! Besides," he said, checking his little watch and chain, "It's only 7. What the name of the town?" Mario asked, sliding the watch into his pocket.

"I don't know. Something like….Toadstool Town or something." replied Yoshi. Mario stopped, and Yoshi felt a touch of panic.

"When we get there," Mario explained, "do not, I repeat, DO NOT, tell anyone we're from the Mushroom Kingdom. The Toadstoolians aren't exactly friendly with us, as The Bandits have a hobby of robbing Toadstoolians of their possessions." He started to walk up the path Yoshi's egg-rolling stunt had worn into the ground, but then stopped and said:

"On second a- thought… you lead the way. I don't know the way you went." Yoshi ran up beside him.

"Okie- dokie!" he exclaimed, rolling past Mario in yet another egg, this one being speckled with light blue dots.

"Hey! That's a- my catchphrase!" He yelled, running after the fast disappearing egg.

After fifteen minutes of running and rolling, the weary duo finally reached Toadstool Town, and what a sorry state it was. Filthy, blackened buildings, all cramped together, gave the place a dark, creepy atmosphere. The adult's faces were grim, haunted, and every one of them showed fear and anger. Children played in the streets, their faces gaunt from lack of food, their stomachs bloated from hunger and disease. In more than one occasion Mario or Yoshi would see rats nibbling at dead peoples corpses. Deformed beggars lay in their own filth, crying desperately for money, their echoing pleas sounding more and more like a chorus of the damned.

We don't treat animals this bad, thought Mario. The town seemed to get better the closer to the centre they got. By the time they got to the centre the buildings were gleaming, mainly because they were made of marble. A feeling of shock came over Yoshi when he saw the building right at the heart of the town. It was prison. What the hells a prison doing in amongst these? Yoshi wondered. He asked Mario.

"The rich said they preferred to have a prison here so that may here the sentence of the criminal who stole, killed and assaulted them be carried out." Yoshi went a bit greener than usual. They found a decent hotel to spend the night after asking a street boy, after which Mario handed him ten coins. After turning and walking away, he heard a small thump behind him. It turned out the boy had fainted. The took a brief glance at the hotel pointed out.

"The Sleeping Dragon… wonderful." Mario muttered under his breath sarcastically. The hotel was actually pretty upper-class, despite it's outside appearance. The only disadvantage was the beds, which, clearly visible to both occupants of the room, were crawling with bugs. Mario took one look at the bed and said to Yoshi:

"You can sleep on that, Yoshi. I'm on the floor." He said, opening his pack for his blankets. Yoshi shrugged.

"It's your loss." Nothing more was said as they went to sleep, with the money pouch tucked away in Mario's hat.

"Rise and shine, lazy ass!" Those were the words that brought Mario out of his sleep, which he deeply regretted. He opened his eyes; only to promptly shut them again as he saw Yoshi had opened the black curtains.

"Ohhhh…" moaned Mario, rubbing his eyes and sitting up straight. "Couldn't you have left me alone?"

"I could've, but since its 10:45 am I thought 'na.' Besides," He motioned for Mario to come to the window, "Take a look at the beau- Oh my God!" Yoshi suddenly screamed, pointing down at the town below. Mario grabbed his cap and thrust it on his head, forgetting the bag of coins in it, which led to him bruising his head. Owch, he thought, rushing to Yoshi's side. Then he saw it. A figure garbed in black, hovering above the city, sending jets of black magic in all directions. The city's outer section was in flames. Mario cursed.

"What the hell is THAT!" Mario yelled, pointing his gloved finger at the floating thing.

"I'm standing around asking It." replied Yoshi, already shouldering his pack. "Let's get outta here!" He said, motioning for Mario to hurry.

"Not a chance! I'm gonna fight!"

"This thing has set half a town up if flames, Mario! We'll be decimated!" Yoshi yelled.

"Go if you want! I'm fighting!" Mario ran, smashing through the glass door that separated the balcony. He stood on the edge, preparing to jump off. He heard a soft thump and was surprised to see Yoshi standing beside him.

"Hell I came for adventure. Let's see if it was worth it!" He shouted.

"HERE WE GO!" They bellowed together. And with that, they jumped of.

They landed right in the middle of Toadstool Square. When Mario looked up he saw that the black forbidding figure was descending upon them like a vulture circling a dying animal. Mario felt a chill crawl up his spine as the figure's clawed feet reached the ground with a soft click. Mario and Yoshi got to their feet. The creature grasped something in his robe and pulled it out. It was a staff with a sword end on each side. The blades were coloured red with thick veins of blue hammered into the blades. The staff was black and, in the middle, held the skull of some sort of animal. Mario glared at the creature. Yoshi did the same, hating the being because of the people it had killed. The creature grasped the sword-staff with both hands, one taloned and one human and, with blinding speed, rushed towards Mario. Mario barely had time to dodge and, due to him being unprepared, led to him receiving a gash on his right hand. Yoshi transformed into an egg and flew towards the thing with amazing speed. The creature rolled out of the way and, when Yoshi sped around, smashed its human hand in to the egg, sending Yoshi flying through a building wall, leaving a big hole. Mario rushed at the creature and fired ten fireballs at it, the last being enormous. The creature dodged most of them but the last one smacked him in the face, sending him into the air and crashing through a window.

"Oh yeah!" Mario yelled, raising his fist in the air. Then he saw Yoshi crawling from the rubble of what once was a wall, standing on his feet and collapsing on his face.

"Yoshi!" Mario cried, hurrying to his side. He pulled Yoshi of the ground and examined his face. He was breathing but unconscious. The little dinosaur's nose was dribbling blood. The sight enraged Mario. Suddenly an enormous explosion came from the building Mario had slammed the unknown creature through was blown into pieces, with the creature itself flying straight towards him. It smashed its fist into Mario and he fell beside Yoshi, spluttering blood. The creature advanced upon him, prepared to kill himself and Yoshi. Just then a wing emerged from its back, spanning 12 foot in total. Just as the thing was laying the death blow the point of an enormous sword stuck through the creature's leg. It screamed in pain and vanished. Mario saw a blonde haired man walk towards him… then everything went black….

Mario awoke sharply, thinking in his mind that he would be still in the town. But instead, he was in a massive wood, with the same blonde haired man who had saved himself and Yoshi from that… thing was sitting on a miniature boulder, a massive sword beside him. He stared at Mario with stony eyes.

"Who…who are you?" Mario dared to ask.

"Cloud. Cloud Strife." replied the man, sliding of the rock, sword in hand.

"Thanks err…Cloud." Said Mario, getting his tongue around the name. Cloud nodded.

"So Cloud. Why are you here?" Mario asked. Cloud looked at him.

"I'm looking for someone." He replied simply.

"Ahh." Mario said. "Anyone I know?"

"I rather not say who he is. Let's just say it's repaying a debt long overdue." He remarked cryptically. Beside him Yoshi awoke.

"Owch. Yoshi's head…" He said, rubbing his bruised head. Mario felt a wave off relief wash over him.

"Are you Ok?" he asked Yoshi.

"Yoshi is fine, Mario." Yoshi replied. Mario was taken aback.

"Say 'I' please, Yoshi."

"Umm… Yoshi?" Yoshi said, sitting upright.

"I'm afraid," Cloud said, walking over to Yoshi. "That blows done a lot to your friend here. Sorry." Mario's rage returned like a crimson tide; he would avenge Yoshi.

"Well Cloud… where you going?" Mario asked as Cloud walked by.

He hesitated then said: "To Hyrule."

"We're going there as well! Let's go together." Mario proposed. Cloud stuck the sword back in his belt.

"Sure, why not? Just don't expect me to wait on you."

Together Mario, Yoshi and Cloud wandered through the woods until the trees parted and they were out on Hyrule field. Cloud was first to notice Hyrule Town.

"Ok were…here…" He said, his voice getting quieter. Mario and Yoshi soon joined him.

"Cloud what the…mat…ter…?" Mario asked before seeing it. Hyrule Towns drawbridge and walls were smashed into the ground, and most of the homes had been burned to the ground. Yoshi opened his mouth in shock.

"Wha…what happened here?" Cloud asked.


	5. A Fight to Remeber!

**I'm back people! (Is shot) Just to warn you that this Fanfiction will make some references to Crocodiles Fanfic 'Broly Returns' and Kenrai's Fanfic 'Revenge', as all of them will be linked together. Just to let you know Ganondorf fans may want to skip this section. Enough of this! Bye!**

**Chapter 5- A Fight to Remember!**

Master Hand floated through the winding, dark corridors, confused at what The Emperor had revealed. What does he want from me, he thought. He passed a queer gallery filled to the brim with creepy pictures, portraits and statues of people long deceased.

I've got the feeling he summoned us for a lot more than helping him round up parts of himself and 'entertaining' his guests, the Smashers. He stopped for a moment, concoctive thoughts swirling round his mind. On one hand, he wanted revenge on the Smashers for the five years of hell they put himself and Crazy Hand through. But on the other, he had no desire to do evil any more, as if the will had been drained from him long ago. In those few seconds before he agreed to serve The Emperor he did not know what he was thinking, being blinded by rage and another chance to destroy his foes. But now that he had… he felt no will to carry out The Emperor's orders.

I'll think I'll round up Ganondorf and Mewtwo, as they did nothing to help me, but as for wearing down the Smashers… I think I'll just help them instead. He knew that, if he did so, he would be playing a very dangerous game. The Emperor had taking custody of Crazy Hand until Master had completed his assignment, which was to round up Ganondorf, who was currently in Hyrule as usual, scheming to take over and plunder it's resources for his intents and purposes. The Emperor gave him as much time as he wished. When he wanted to leave to start his mission he was able to at any time. To hell with this! The sooner this is done the better, he thought. He had thrown himself off a cliff without knowing how deep the water was at the bottom, so he might as well end his fall quickly. He found an open skylight and flew through it, marvelling at the wind blowing against him. Prepare yourself Dragmire! I'm coming for ya!

**Hyrule Town**

Mario wandered the wreckage of a burned house, looking for any possible survivors. So far only one family, comprised of a mother, father and son, had been rescued from the rubble of a blown-up curiosity shop. Mario had sent the near-hysterical family, along with Yoshi as an escort, to the nearest village, which the family had, after calming down, identified as Kakariko Village. That had been an hour ago. All they found now was the dead bodies of the people who had fought whatever malicious being had invaded here. More than once burnt corpses had come to life. The few times it happened Yoshi screamed in terror and ran of down the main street, with Mario dragging him back by the nape of his neck. Cloud was left to defeat them as he was his Buster Sword made it easier to defeat, rather than throwing fireballs of bits of rubble.

"Hey I think I have a live one!" Yoshi yelled, kneeling over another body which was still breathing. Mario and hurried over to Yoshi's side, examining the broken man beside. He was covered in his own blood.

"Who did this!" Cloud asked the man, who was slowly slipping away from life. The man bobbed his blood-covered head.

"The… devil….the devil came for me….." he said in a hollow voice, before his head dropped to the side. The air took on an evil atmosphere. Tears seeped from Yoshi eyes. Seeing someone die in front of him struck a more powerful blow to him than anything. Cloud closed the mans blank eyes. Then he examined the dead mans wound. A deep slash cut him from the cheek down to his chest. And… it looked like… it was. A large chunk of his leg was bitten of. It looked like whoever did this a cannibal, Cloud thought, staring at the stump of what used to be a leg. Suddenly a scrape was heard from behind Mario. Everyone turned around, prepared to battle. Then the group saw it. A man stepped out from the ruins of a house. Its head was human, but its body was covered in black hair. Claws extended from its remotely human hands. In short it looked like a human Wolfos, except a strange ball of fire which revolved on the creature's chest. It was Cloud who initiated the fight. In a single leap he somersaulted and slashed with the Buster Sword. The creature jumped back, then rushed forward, slashing with its claws at Clouds sword. The sword tore itself from Clouds grasp. Mario ran behind it and the monstrosity gave a savage kick to the head, sending Mario back, sprawling on the ground. Yoshi tossed an egg at the thing, which whirled round, roared in rage, and smashed its head into Yoshi. Just as the creature was going to give downward swipe for a death-blow, a gleaming blade struck through the thing chest. The creature gave an otherworldly howl and shattered like a piece of glass. Nothing was left, except its claws. A tall figure with blonde hair, garbed in a green tunic and hat and brown boots wielding a sword with a blue hilt stood in the things place.

"Where the hell were you, Link?" Cloud demanded, rising to his feet, sword in hand. Link turned around to face him.

"Saving your ass again. You'd better not make this a habit. You still owe me one for Silver City remember?" he replied, helping Yoshi to his feet. He gaped when he saw Mario.

"Mario? I thought you were dead." Link said quietly, looking at Mario with owl-like eyes.

Same old Link, thought Mario. Always the one who saves the other.

"So did I… until you a- saved me." He replied. After the exchanged greetings, Yoshi asked the two questions on everyone's minds: What had happened here? And what was that monster they fought? Link frowned.

"Question One- Ganon's come back AGAIN. Question Two- It was an Amphirdite, one of the many creatures that have appeared lately. They've been roaming not only Hyrule but most of the other lands as well. Last I heard they attacked and decimated Altea." Link said in an informative tone. Mario hung his head in a sign of remorse, Yoshi doing the same.

"So…" Link said, gathering his arrows. "I'm off to the castle to save dumb-ass Zelda and the day again from Ganon." And he made to go, but was stopped by Cloud.

"Hey we'll come and help you, won't we, Mario?" He said in his usual 'loner' way.

"We a- will?" Mario said back. Cloud gave Mario a kick in the shin.

"Owch! Ermm… yes I mean we will." Mario said, nursing his shin. Link gave a cheery, idiotic smile.

"Good!" Together they made their way through the ruined town to the castle, which now looked like a version of Boo Manor.

"He has a very bad taste in decorating." Mario muttered as they approached a gigantic pit filled with lava.

"How can he stand the heat?" Yoshi said to himself. Link approached the edge of the pit and called in a loud voice:

"Sages! Once again I need help! Hear my plea… and make a path for us to cross this pit and kill Ganon." An anime drop appeared on Mario's head.

Has he banged his head of something? Cloud thought to himself. He can't conjure up a bridge out of thin-. He stopped as a bridge of light appeared in front of them, making a path to cross the pit. Link gave a cheesy smile.

"OK we may cross." He said as he bounded forward into the dark entrance. Mario, Yoshi and Cloud followed.

"Smart ass." Cloud muttered as he entered the building.

Ganon picked up his phone nervously. This was the moment he was dreading.

"GANONDORF DRAGMIRE!" A high voice shrieked in his ear. "WHY HAVEN'T YOU DISPOSED OF LINK YET? I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE ADOPTED YOU, YOU USELESS GIT! YOU COULDN'T RUN A MEAT STALL, NEVER MIND AN EVIL EMPIRE!" Ganondorf was nearly crying.

"Twinrova stop it! I'm a big boy now! I'll kill Link when I want, how I want and with what I want!" Ganondorf shot back before blowing the phone to pieces with a blast of energy. He sipped his coffee whilst looking out at his delightfully evil Hyrule. Just as he had a mouthful of his drink he saw Link, a fat plumber, a green dinosaur and a blonde, spiky haired man enter his castle, causing him to promptly spit his coffee out the window.

"Oh no! I must get my evil organ before-"He stopped as he saw Link, Mario, Yoshi and Cloud standing at the entrance to his room. "How did you get up here so fast!" Ganondorf yelled.

"We used the elevator." Cloud said, pointing to a hollowed out space in the wall. A ting came from down the shaft.

"This isn't how it's supposed to be! You never gave me time to get ready!" Ganondorf whined. Beside Link Cloud whispered:

"How does this wimp conquer Hyrule all the time?" Yoshi almost burst out laughing at the remark. Ganondorf's face grew dark instantly.

"You dare to mock me, the Great Ganondorf?" Ganondorf cried, cape billowing like wings. "THEN DIE!" He plunged his hand into the ground, causing several bits of the floor to fall to the ground below. Cloud and Link laughed.

"Call that strong? I've had stronger cups of tea, Ganondorf!" They both taunted. Ganon's cheeks went red.

"I'LL SHOW YOU THE MEANING OF FEAR!" He screamed, lunging at Link, sword flashing in hand. Link parried the blow and lashed out with the Master Sword, stabbing in a frenzy. Mario jumped up and threw a fireball in Ganondorf's face. Ganondorf parried the fireball, sending it back in Mario direction. It hit Mario on the arm and set it on fire. Mario rolled about on the remaining ground, trying to beat out the flame. Cloud joined Link in the sword-fight, slashing with the Buster Sword at Ganondorf's arm with enough force to draw blood. Ganondorf whirled round, roaring like a bear, and smashed his sword into Clouds so hard he went flying backwards through a wall. Yoshi jumped up and tossed an egg into Ganondorf's face. It caught him by surprise and shattered over his face, sending yolk everywhere.

"ARRGH!MY EYES! I CAN'T SEE!" He screamed, slashing blindly in a pathetic attempt to hurt at least someone. Link saw his chance and slashed at Ganondorf's sword hand, sending his sword spinning and burying itself in the wall beside Mario. Ganondorf wiped the yolk of his face and seeing himself weaponless, flew towards Mario, grabbed him and effortlessly hauled into the air. Ganondorf began to laugh as he, using his other hand, started to form an enormous ball of energy. Yoshi was hysterical.

"Link, fire an arrow, throw a bomb, anything!" he screamed.

"I can't!" Link yelled back. "I might hit Mario!" Just as Ganondorf was about to throw his enormous ball of energy Clouds voice was heard saying one word:

"FAREWELL!"

Cloud burst from the rubble, one demonic wing planted on his left shoulder. He flew at Ganondorf, Buster Sword in hand, glowing a golden green colour. He slashed at Ganondorf, causing him to release his ball of energy right out the window and drop Mario, who fell to the floor with a thump. Link and Yoshi didn't bother to help him up, being to preoccupied by Cloud's frenzied slashing at Ganondorf's chest and head to be bothered. Cloud suddenly stopped slashing and flew another ten foot into the air, then flew downwards toward the half-dead Ganondorf, plunging his sword into his arm, impaling his shoulder. Cloud flew back down to where Link, Mario and Yoshi were standing. Before anything else happened Link rushed up to Ganondorf with blinding speed, holding the tip of the Master Sword at Ganondorf's throat. Ganondorf lay on the ground, kneeling and coughing up blood. His breathing was far from normal, coming in deep, heaving gasps.

"The Great King Ganondorf… beaten by this kid!" Link looked hurt.

"And this fat plumber!"

"Hey!" Mario exclaimed, a look of indignation on his face.

"And this puny dinosaur!" Only the fact that he could only be killed by the Master Sword stopped Yoshi from running at Ganondorf and swallowing him, turning him into an egg.

"AND this spiky- haired bastard!" Ganondorf said with disgust. Cloud was prepared to cleave Ganondorf in two when he shook violently, coughed up a mouthful of blood and screamed:

"LIIINNK!" Ganondorf suddenly rose to his feet and, with an amazing effort, punched the air with both hands.

"If I must die… THEN I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!" he bellowed with a menacing tone. He began to cackle violently until another laugh stopped him, this one coming from the east. It was faint but distinct. Suddenly the laugh grew louder and a felling of dread entered the hearts of Mario, Yoshi and Link. Suddenly an enormous CRASH! Came from the roof, sending debris everywhere and, when the dust cleared, the shape of the entity they'd been dreading floated inside the room.

"MASTER HAND!" Everyone except Cloud screamed. Master Hand cackled.

"Good to see you… Ganondorf." Master Hand said, turning his attention of The Evil King. "The Emperor would like a word." Ganondorf stepped back, as if the name terrorized him from within.

"Who's a- The Emperor?" Mario queried. Master Hand turned towards Mario.

"That's none of your business, plumber!" he snapped, focusing his attention on Ganondorf again. "Let's be of, Dragmire. The Emperor's anxious to see you." He floated towards Ganondorf.

"I… I thought I gave him what he wanted!" He stammered, backing away. Master Hand laughed harshly.

"By selling out Bowser? Not a chance. Now come along." His tone was full of threat. "Or I will drag you to him myself!" He advanced on Ganondorf.

"NO CHANCE!" Ganondorf yelled before jumping out the window, suddenly finding new strength. Once again Mater Hand cackled evilly.

"This is my favourite part of the game! The high speed chase!" He said. Suddenly his length shimmered, and he transformed into pure darkness. The jet of black particles roared out the window, leaving a massive hole.

"I'll fix that later…" said a voice. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thanking whatever gods there was about not having to fight Master Hand before Yoshi spoke up:

"Let's see if Ganondorf can get away." Everyone nodded. Together they watched from the enormous hole as Ganondorf, the Great King of Evil, running for his life from the stream of purple darkness that chased him.

"Does anyone think he'll get away?" Cloud asked, watching Ganondorf running up and down the bridge of light. Link was the one who answered.

"Twenty-five rupees says he doesn't." And sure enough, just as Ganondorf was halfway across the bridge of light for the seventeenth time, it disappeared right under his feet. He screamed as he fell into the pit of lava. But the jet of darkness chased him. When it was near enough, Master Hand materialized from the purple energy, grabbing Ganondorf and proclaiming:

"GOTCHA!" There was a blinding flash, an earth-shattering scream and then…. silence. Inside the ruined castle Link laughed heartily.

"Well that's me fifty rupees up." He proclaimed. Cloud grumbled.

"Creep…"

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing!"

"Good!" Link turned away from Cloud to see a pink crystal, looking a lot like a giant rupee, was floating down from the ceiling. And inside the crystal was none other than Princess Zelda. It took awhile to finally drop to the floor, and even longer to get her out the damned thing. It took at least half an hour before Cloud, Link and Mario were able to get her free by shattering the crystal into a thousand pieces. Zelda dropped to the floor.

"Zelda!" Link exclaimed, hurrying to her side. He began to shake her violently.

"Zelda!" After five minutes of strong shaking and yelling, Zelda finally emerged from her comatose state, barely finding the strength to open her eyes but, amazingly, finding the strength to sit up right, gasping for air.

"That asswad Ganondorf forgot to put holes in that crystal..."

"Zelda! I have saved you!" Link proclaimed with a grin.

"I beat Ganondorf again!" A loud Ahem! was heard behind Link. He turned round to see that Mario, Yoshi and Cloud with a murderous look on their faces. Link laughed nervously.

"I mean… WE beat Ganondorf." He said with an attempted smile. He breathed heavily.

"Well… at least it's over until next year…" He muttered to himself. A cry came from Yoshi, who had positioned himself at the giant hole that was once the window.

"Look!" In less than a few seconds, everyone excluding Zelda had gathered at the hole. The group looked at the sky. All the dark clouds that had billowed over Hyrule like a plague were slowly dissipating, leaving nothing but clear blue skies and a few clouds. It was Link who said:

"Well… that's Hyrule back to normal and everything's fine and dandy. But why has everything just reappeared like that?" Zelda joined them at the window.

"Ganondorf's evil was the reason these buildings crumbled. Now that he is no longer here, his will and evil has evaporated, leaving light once again." She turned to face Link.

"Link… give me the Ocarina. I will send you back seven years so that you can have the years you missed back." Link looked dumbfounded.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! I travelled in time to defeat Ganondorf! If you send me back, he'll come back again!" Zelda laughed.

"He won't. There is no evidence to say that he existed. Give me the Ocarina, Link." She said softly.

"Ok then." he fumbled about his green tunic, a look of shock on his face.

"Ummm Zelda… that's what I need to tell you. I… had a little run in with a group of Poes… and during my escape… I…" He watched as the joy on Zelda's face turned to horror. "…lost it. Sorry." The other's watch as Zelda's face turned from white to light red, then dark red, then purple.

"You… you… YOU WEASEL! I'LL KILL YOU!" She lunged at Link, a look of serial rage on her face. Link jumped back in terror and tried to run away, but Zelda easily caught up with him, dragging him by the hair to the middle of the room, then she hauled him up, forcing him to stand up straight, where she proceeded to scratch and punch and spit in fury.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" was the only words Link heard before he called out to Cloud and Mario:

"Help! Knock her out! She's tearing me to pieces!" Almost immediately Cloud rushed up to Zelda and gave her a crack on the back of the head with the hilt of the Buster Sword. Zelda's eyes rolled backwards, and she collapsed in a heap on the floor, motionless. Link stared at Cloud.

"Thanks! I owe you a hell of a lot from saving me from The Fury here."

"So I take it were square?"

"That and more. Mario, I need to journey with you." Link said quickly. Mario was amazed.

"Why?" He asked. He was fairly sure of the answer, but he needed confirming.

"There's NOT a chance I'm staying here with a woman like this after my head. I'd rather fight Ganondorf again." Mario smiled.

"Sure. Scrounge up some food and pack it. Meet us at the gate at dawn." Before he got an answer from Link he had grabbed Zelda and exclaimed:

"FARAROE'S WIND!" after a few seconds he had disappeared in a green flash. Yoshi shrugged his shoulders once Link had disappeared.

"Can we go now, Mario?" He asked.

"I guess… let's take the shortcut." The fighters nodded at one another before jumping out the hole that was a window before proceeding to walk down the road that led to the castle.

What the Smashers didn't notice was a lone figure on a nearby hill, garbed in black armour, his enormous cape billowing like wings, his face hidden by a black hood

"Well a' those there Smashers show a bit o' promise ba beatin' Ganondorf! But." He turned towards the horizon.

"A' wonder how those li'l whelps compare to me! Ahahahahaha!" And with that… he disappeared in a blue flash.


	6. A Shadow's Death

**Hey y'all! Really sorry this took so long to come out but the Hardrive on my poor computer crashed. I lost half a chapter. Argh, so annoying…. Anyhoo, next chapter! Also my heads been jumping about and I don't feel great. No, don't worry about me. I'm OK. I'll go back to my cold, dark writing corner now…. sniff**

**Chapter 6- A Shadows Death.**

"Just kneel before me and I'll spare your pathetic life, Ganondorf." Said The Emperor, a dagger-like smile across his hooded face. Ganondorf lay before him, breathing abnormally, his cloak bloodied and torn and his black armour rent in several places. The majority of candles that lit the enormous hall had snuffed out, giving the hall an eerie appearance. To The Emperor's right was Master Hand, floating and saying nothing. A gaggle of thoughts clouded his mind, forcing him to focus on them and nothing else. To The Emperors right two looming figures in identical black robes, their hands clasped in front of their midsection. At the left shoulder of their robes there sat twelve tiny balls of flame all in a circle. That, concluded Master Hand, was the Amphridites insignia. One of the figures was the giant of a man with stone hands that Master Hand had first saw when he was brought to… wherever they were. The other was considerably smaller but still tall enough to stay well above six foot. Both stayed silent and still. Around the considerably dark hall a horde of creatures, most seemingly chatting to one another in a strange, dark language. Instead of voices, however, they screeched, whistled and grunted, communicating with sounds rather than voices. The others stared at what their apparent "master" would do next, their eyes gleaming in the twilight. Suddenly Ganondorf raised his head, outrage and hatred flowing through his eyes. He still tottered, but his heavy breathing had stopped. He stood his full height, drawing in a defiant breath.

"Why… should I kneel before you… one who has not the power to come after me their-self!" The Emperor's red eyes seemed to light up at the comment.

"On the contrary, my friend. It was YOU who didn't work for your power, Ganondorf. You came to me, The Lord of Darkness, for your toy, The Triforce of Power, when you failed to get the piece you now carry on that day! YOU sold out Bowser when you had a debt to pay! And I ALWAYS get what I'm owed!" Those last words carried a menacing tone. Ganondorf winced as he pain of his wounds resurged like a crimson tide.

"You want me? Then come and claim me!" He dared, sneering. He drew his sword.

"Is that a challenge?" The Emperor's snake-like voice seemed to fill the entire room.

"You bet it-" Ganondorf barely got the word past gritted teeth. "Is." The Emperor's eyes flickered.

"So be it." He rose from the black throne and launched himself fifteen feet into the air, landing a few yards in front of The Evil King. The creatures that filled the hall scattered in The Emperor's presence. They climbed the walls, the first wave making their way to the ceiling, the second wave scaling the walls and black onyx pillars, digging their claws into the black stone.

"I had a feeling this would happen." Said The Emperor, readying himself for the conflict ahead. "So I invited a crowd for the fight. Quite a turnout, eh?" He flashed his dagger-like teeth in a grim smile.

"Fine." Spat Ganondorf. "Now your little demon squad can watch you be defeated!" The Emperor grimly smiled, then rushed at Ganondorf, his right hand crackling with dark energy. Ganondorf raised his sword, in preparence to cleave The Emperor's head in two. _This is easy! _He thought. _He doesn't even have a weapon!_ Just as Ganondorf brought his sword down a tongue of fire erupted from The Emperor's right hand. He raised it in front of Ganondorf's sword, blocking the blow. Ganondorf was stunned. He leapt forward, slashing horizontally four times. The Emperor blocked all the slashes easily. He wordlessly flipped over Ganondorf's back and stabbed Ganondorf's leg. Ganondorf bellowed and, faster than a normal human, rained a score of heavy blows on The Emperor, each faster and heavier than the last. The Emperor blocked most of the blows, but the last one nicked him on the left arm. However, the cut was neither deep nor wide. The Emperor simply laughed and lunged at Ganondorf again. This time, instead of swordplay, he fired at jet of dark energy at Ganondorf face, tossing him forty feet back. Ganondorf landed on his feet, only to see The Emperor running at an amazing speed towards him. Raising both his hands before him, he fired and enormous ball of black magic at The Emperor. He screamed as he let it go. All The Emperor did was grin and bare his dagger teeth in an amused grin. The shaft of crackling purple energy hit The Emperor square in the chest, sending smoke and debris everywhere from the force of the explosion. Ganondorf laughed manically. The Amphridites hissed, ready to rip Ganondorf apart, and the two hooded figures at the back finally stirred. Ganondorf's laugh was cut short however, as he peered at the cloud of dust a shape began to materialize, starting with the black robe and ending with The Emperor's malicious smile. Ganondorf was taken aback. He had poured all he had to give into that blast. The Emperor charged at him, both hands crackling with seething bolts of black energy. When he reached Ganondorf, his flaming weapons extended from his hands again. He swung them wildly, dancing on light feet as Ganondorf barely managed to block the onslaught. At the last strike, Ganondorf raised his sword expectantly to block the last slash. However, The Emperor slid across the floor and slashed at the back of Ganondorf's legs. Ganondorf roared in agony and fell to his knees, his sword clattering to the floor. The Amphridites screeched in delight as The Emperor walked in front of Ganondorf, his beams of flame dissipating as he walked. He stared at Ganondorf, then said:

"Well, well, well… I wasn't expecting you to last that long. Now… I believe the time has come for me to collect what is rightfully mine." Ganondorf's irregular breathing had returned as he coughed up a mouthful of blood. He stared at The Emperor, anger flowing through his eyes. For a moment nothing and no-one moved, until Ganondorf finally grunted:

"Fine." The Emperor hoisted him effortlessly into the air by the neck. "But know this. When I get to Hell, I'll make sure I reserve a place for you… because that's where you'll end up when the Smashers get here." The Emperor merely grinned evilly.

"We shall see." Before he could do anything else Ganondorf whispered:

"Tell me… who or what are you?" For the first time he had seen him The Emperor frowned.

"My name is… Miazma… and soon, I will rule over this pathetic planet!"

**Hyrule Town**

Zelda slowly awoke, rubbing her eyes. Her head throbbed as if something had pounded the back of it heavily over and over. She yawned, then uttered a startled, short scream of surprise. A man with wispy white hair sat beside her, pipe in hand. He stirred, then looked at her. A cheerful smile was on his face. His brown tunic and black breeches told Zelda he was a farmer. An explosion of thoughts erupted in her head. Restraining them she asked, "Where am I? And where's Link?" The man offered her a seat.

"Well sit down an' A'll tell ya, li'l missy!" Zelda sat, uncomfortable about the man's speech. "You're on the outskirts of Hyrule Town. As for Link, a boy in green came here with you unconscious. He left you here." Zelda nodded. "When he left though… he played a rather fetching tune on that blue Ocarina he had. At that instant Zelda remembered Link said he had lost her Ocarina. _But… A blue Ocarina…! He hid it so he could go off on another crazy adventure! _

"LIIIIIIINK!"

**Hyrule Field**

Outside Hyrule Town, watching from the river, a dark figure with crimson eyes watched as the Smashers made their way across Hyrule Field. He chuckled to himself, eyeing them, particularly Link.

"Well…" It said, pulling itself out of the water. "Now that He's joined them, I think it's time to get what I'm owed… Revenge." He laughed manically even as he disappeared into the earth.

Yoshi clapped his hands over his ears. He could swear he heard a shriek of anger coming from the town. Mario looked at his friend, wondering what he was doing.

"Errr… why are you a- doing that?" He queried. Link stopped suddenly, as did Cloud. Both were curious to see what was happening. Yoshi warily took his hands of his sensitive ears.

"Yoshi thinks he heard a scream." He pointed at the dwindling town. Link eyes slightly enlarge, prompting Cloud to ask:

"Do you know who it came from?" He asked. Link turned and said in a low voice:

"It was…. A TERRIBLE DEMON! RUN BEFORE IT CATCHES YOU!" He cried, mocking to run as if a great evil was chasing. Mario and Yoshi laughed, and even Cloud managed a rare smile. They all knew it was Zelda. She had found out that Link had not lost her Ocarina.

"You guessed, it was Zelda." Said Link joining in the laugh before turning round and fleeing, his Green Hat of Justice flapping in the wind. Everybody followed him when they realized how annoyed Zelda would be at them for shielding Link. After catching up on Link, they stopped running and merely walked, exchanging stories, although Link's were the most captivating. When the group decided to discuss what happened to Ganondorf a faint laugh could be heard. It was evil, filling the deserted field with an creepy humour. Link looked to his left, right and behind him to see if he could discern where the malicious laughter was coming from. The laughter was growing louder and it was not coming from around them, but from _above._

"DIVE!" Was the word that broke the malicious cackle. Everybody instinctively dived out of the way and sure enough, a black sword plunged into the earth a few seconds later where Link used to be standing. A black hand grasped the sword, and the hand belonged to a shadowy figure, who ripped the sword free and stared at the now- standing Smashers. The figure was identical to Link, down to the last detail. The only thing different about this Link was that it was completely black, excepting its crimson which seemed to glow a terrible bloody glee. A smile appeared on the shadow's face.

"Good to see you…. Link." Its voice rumbled like Master Hand's, only deeper. Link stared at the shadow in disgust.

"Not very convienient to show up when somebody's a bit tired now is it, Dark?" he asked, drawing his sword and shield, 'Dark' doing the same. 'Dark's' shield was covered in steel spikes, each an inch long. 'Dark' laughed coldly.

"I told you we would meet again, didn't I? Only this time I have the advantage." He growled, his eyes never leaving Link's. Mario's hand's where instantly surrounded by fire, Cloud looked at the shadow, Buster Sword in hand, and Yoshi looked readied himself for combat as well. 'Dark' looked at them lazily.

"So some new friend, have we?" 'Dark' said, appearing to size them up. "Feh. I'll take you ALL on. Then I can claim what I was promised."

"And that was?" 'Dark' turned slowly at Link, looking him straight in the eye, then grinned evilly.

"My body." He lunged at Link, sword ready. He swung his sword, trying to catch Link on the jaw. Link parried the blow and returned the slash. Mario jumped at 'Dark', smashing him on the head. Mario yelled in pain. The fire had singed 'Dark's' hat a little, but the blow itself had done nothing. 'Dark' kicked Mario away, only to turn and see Cloud's Buster Sword an inch from him face. He sidestepped Cloud's strike and one of the spikes that adorned 'Dark's' shield exploded, rocketing towards Cloud's sword- hand. Cloud managed to blow the blow, but the force sent the sword spiralling out of his hand, plunging into the ground beside Mario's right leg. Yoshi attempted to swallow 'Dark', but he grabbed Yoshi's tongue and tossed the dinosaur at Mario who had just got up, knocking them both unconscious. 'Dark' turned to face Link, only to see The Master Sword hacking his left hand off. He let out a ghastly scream of pain as he watched his hand disappear in a puff of purple and black smoke. He stared at Link, his red eyes pulsing in hate and anger. He heard Cloud try to sneak up on him to stab him from behind. He swung around and fired a blast of dark energy at Cloud, tossing him into the unconscious Mario and Yoshi. He faced Link, allowing a smile to appear on his black face.

"Well, I think it's back to one-on-one now." Said 'Dark.' He raised his arm and a circle of fire shot out, encircling the three unconscious fighters, cutting Link of off reinforcements. Link shrugged.

"Fine. If that's how you want to be defeated, then fine by me." 'Dark' shook his head and attacked. Link was the first to attack, slashing vertically. 'Dark' blocked the slash and Spin-attacked. Link blocked with his shield and extended his Hookshot. It latched onto 'Dark' and pulled him toward Link. Link held the Master Sword out in front of him in order to spear 'Dark'. At the last second 'Dark' slashed with his sword, knocking the Master Sword away. He head-butted Link, which sent him reeling. Before 'Dark' could react, Link pulled out his bow and shot a Light Arrow through 'Dark's' left arm. He screeched as it dissolved in front of him. Suddenly he stopped and smirked. In front of Link, the arm that he had hit repaired itself.

"Good as new." 'Dark' muttered. He held his black sword in both hands and, before Link eyes it morphed into a claymore. The left side of the still-black weapon was viciously barbed to inflict more suffering, whereas the other was sharp enough to cleave a horse in two.

"Get ready for this!" 'Dark' yelled. He charged at Link, slashing in a rabid frenzy. The last strike of the onslaught missed Link shield and hit Link on the stomach with the barbed edge. Pain lanced up Link's side. He let out a scream of agony. He fell to his knees, The Master Sword slipping out of his fingers. Before anything could be done 'Dark' flicked his claymore up to Link's throat.

"Heh heh heh ha ha ha ha! Finally I can claim what belongs to me!" 'Dark' crowed. "Miazma will be pleased!" Link struggled to speak through the pain.

"Who… who is Miazma?" 'Dark' grinned coldly at him.

"Your about to die, so you don't need to know." As he raised his claymore to strike Link down, an explosion rang out and a row of spikes stuck through 'Dark.' He roared in pain and turned to see who is attacker was. Suddenly a fire awoke inside Link, filling him with strength from the deepest part of his being. He grasped the hilt of the Master Sword…

And stabbed 'Dark' though the chest.

'Dark' screamed louder than anything ever heard. He grasped the sword's blade, as if to pull it out, but it was stuck fast. He shrieked even louder as his arms and sword disintegrated into dust. He grabbed Link's shoulders, hatred and anger flowing through his blood-red eyes.

"I'LL BE BACK, HERO! I'LL BE BACK!" And with that he exploded in a puff of dark smoke. Link fell to the ground in exhaustion. He saw Mario and the others running towards him and a pair of red shoes standing by him. He closed his eyes and faded into darkness.

**Feature Fight Song: Shadow Queens Theme- 1st Form. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.**

**Done at last! I had some comp problems during the week and it drained dome time. Also I got a loan of 'Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door' of off Kenrai's brother. Goddammit, why was it so addictive?**


	7. Dark Never Dies

**Hello again. Lately I've been wondering to start The Interviews just now. If you review then please state whether I should.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own the Zapharian race. It belongs to Kenrai.**

**Chapter 7- 'Dark' Never Dies.**

_To think that a few people, a race of proud warriors and three Goddesses could cause this much trouble, _thought Miazma. He stared at the Kvardem Stone, watching The Smashers forms in it. The boy Link was unconscious, lying prone as if he was dead. The Yoshi stared at Link without budging, the plumber pacing in endless circles. A pink puffball in red shoes sat in a tree overhead. As for the blonde keeping watch on the edge of the camp… he just sat their, staring off into the distance, like an impassive spectre, barely aware of what was going on in the camp. _Don't think I've forgotten about you, Zapharian. I know about your abilities… your just unaware of them._ He laughed mirthlessly. _I think it's time to kill two birds with one stone. _The silver aura and the Smashers forms faded, around the Stone faded, giving it a dull, used appearance. Silently Miazma walked to the bare hall, his robe sliding along the basalt stone. _Dark Link was fool. He knew nothing of the power he had. Still… I need to offload that damned Vespertillios . I'll send him to destroy the two Zapharians, if he can. They'll cause the most trouble. It doesn't matter if he doesn't. When 'he' meets them, they will not live, no matter what happens. Meanwhile… I'll send Gyrok to take over the Flat Zone._ He stopped in the centre of the hall, raised his left arm above his head and bellowed: "AMPHRIDITES! COME ON OUT!" After a few minutes a swarm of the monsters started to exit the gap in the ceiling and walls. Once an adequate number of the creatures had gathered, Miazma floated into the air, away from the army, inspecting the blanket of dark heads covering the stone floor.

"A new power is rising! It victory is at hand!" The Amphridites roared in response.

"This night… The Superflat World will be stained with the blood of the Game & Watch! March to the Flat Zone! Leave none alive!" The Amphridites chattered with their sounds in delight at the sound of a battle.

"TO WAR!" The Amphridites screeched in delight, and filed out the hall. Some jumped through the gaps in the roof. Some went through the walls. Once the hall was completely lonely Miazma floated back to the ground before calling out:

"Gyrok!" After a few seconds a figure appeared in a fog of purple mist. The mist faded, leaving behind the monstrous man in its place.

"Y' called, boss?" He said in his dumb voice. Miazma frowned. Gyrok was strong and imposing, but stubborn and dim-witted.

"You," Miazma said in a flat voice, "are going to The Flat Zone. Go to Oil-Panic Hill. Wait until the Amphridites join you, then raise the Flat Zone to the ground." Gyrok nodded.

"Duh…OK den." He vanished, leaving Miazma alone in the twilit hall. He turned round and started back towards the room he occupied earlier.

_There will be no dawn… for the Game & Watch._

**The Outskirts of Hyrule Field**

Mario paced and pondered, trying to find a way out of the predicament the group was in. Link had not moved nor said a thing since he fell unconscious after his battle with 'Dark'. Even Kirby's vast library of knowledge proved no answer. They had tried everything, from tossing a canteen of cold water over him, to tickling his nose with a Cucco feather, to putting a piece of banana, which Link detested, into his mouth and making him chew it. Nothing had worked. Cloud had offered to keep watch at the edge of the camp. As he left, Mario saw, for the first time since he knew him, worry and grief in his eyes. Yoshi stared at Link, worry and many other expressions in his eyes. He rarely left him, hoping to catch a glimmer of life in him. Kirby had taken to a tree top, hoping that the moon would provide an answer. Every now and then someone thought of an idea but when tested, it ended in failure. Tension clung to the camp like a relentless parasite. Suddenly Mario stopped pacing, causing everyone in the camp to ask if he had thought of anything. Kirby somersaulted of the tree, Cloud walked over and Yoshi raised his head.

"I found… a solution." Mario said quietly. A few seconds later Kirby and Yoshi started asking very quickly:

"Whatisit? Whatisit? Whatisit?" Mario silenced them with a wave of his gloved hand, then looked back at the barely moving Link before saying:

"I've decided…. To use The Mushroom of Life." Kirby and Yoshi were taken aback, whereas Cloud gave a blank stare.

"Are… are you sure? There is only three in the world, all of which are in you possession. Who knows? Link might recover with out it." Kirby stated. Yoshi objected, saying:

"Mario has three to spare, so why shouldn't he use them? Do you even want Link to survive?" Kirby paused, before speaking defiantly.

"Link may be injured, but how do we know he needs it? He could just be needing a bit of R&R." Yoshi crossed arms angrily.

"Oh well everything just FINE!" Surprising Kirby by that sudden outburst. "I don't want to take that risk! Do you want to take that risk, Mario?" Mario shook his head. "Cloud?" Cloud shook his head as well

"Enough. You've made your point. Mario, do you have the 'Shroom?" Mario scratched his head.

"Well… no." Everybody did an anime fall. Yoshi struggled to remain cordial.

"Errr….what?" He looked dumbfounded. Mario fidgeted uneasily.

"BUT I left one of them nearby in case of a- this." The answer pleased Yoshi and Cloud, but Kirby was to busy looking back at Link.

"Where is it?" Asked Cloud, gathering up his belongings. Mario smiled confidently.

"I left it with DK, whose jungle is…" he about-turned and pointed to a thicket of trees. "That a- way." Yoshi looked uneasy.

"OK… who wants to go into the creepy insect-infested jungle first?" Cloud sighed, put down his pack and drew his Buster Sword.

"Shockwave Slash!" He jumped into the air, then fell to the earth as a wave of energy rushed across the grass. It collided with the trees with an explosion, leaving a path five foot across. He left his pack for Mario to heft, strode up to Link and lifted him on his shoulders before walking into the deep jungle. Yoshi hesitated, then retracted into an egg before pursuing Cloud, Mario close behind him. Kirby sighed.

"Well… I guess I'm stuck with them!" And with that, he darted after them.

**Hyrule Field**

_I'm going to rip that bastard apart, _thought Zelda. Ever since she left that farmers house in Hyrule Town he was raging and gunning for revenge. She had, with a sweet tone and big puppy eyes, roped Impa into going with her after Link so she could rip his little Green Hat of Justice to pieces. She was still seething that he had feigned losing her family heirloom, and had been cursing him with many highly inventive explictives. They both had been on foot for nearly an hour, Zelda having trouble to keep up with Impa's longer stride. Out of the blue Impa asked:

"Do you hate him?" Zelda snapped out of her thoughts. She looked at Impa.

"Who?"

"Link. Do you like him or hate him?" Zelda considered his question seriously. If she made a wrong answer now, she would regret it later.

"I dislike his cheeky, lone lifestyle. But I guess that what I like about him and for that I like him." She paused. "I suppose if he really HAD lost the Ocarina of Time then I would have nothing to do with him for a long time yet." Impa chuckled.

"That's the thing that makes sticking around with Link a whole lot better." Zelda agreed, before turning round, only to see the body of…. something or some_one_ lying near a boulder. Zelda alerted Impa, who promptly rushed over to prone figure. She checked his pulse.

"He's still alive, just knocked out." Zelda looked at the man's still face. It was white, without any blemishes or scars, un-bearded and plain-looking, no different from the thousands of other men she saw whilst on walks around Hyrule Town. A marking on the unconscious man's right arm caught her attention. It was twelve tiny balls of flame all arranged in a circle. Covering the man's hands were lightly armoured gauntlets. Just as Zelda reached out to take them of the other shot out to grab her wrist suddenly. Startled, she screamed and pulled her hand back. The man was had awoke.

"Ouch…" was the man's first word. "That guy could pack a punch." He looked up at Zelda and Impa. "Hey. Who are you?" Zelda stood straight.

"My name is Zelda Hyrule. I am the princess of Hyrule."

"And I am Impa, last of the Sheikahs." She offered her hand the help the man to his feet. He grinned before accepting the hand.

"Kesta Kraaven."

**DK Jungle**

"Where the hell are we?" Yoshi asked. Mario shrugged. They had been wandering through DK's Jungle for near an hour. Due to Cloud carrying the comatose Link on his back the group had to rely on Kirby's hammer and Mario's Fireballs to get them through the thick trees. More than once they were attacked by strange creatures, some of them Amphridites.

"Wait. Hold up." Kirby said. "You brought here and you don't know the way!" Mario smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah I-" They were cut of by a giant _thing _swinging through the trees.It jumped off the vine it was holding on to, falling to the ground on its feet. It was a giant ape with a monogrammed neck-tie.

"DK! Just the person we were talking about!" Exclaimed Mario. The ape muttered a few grunts.

"Yes, nice to see you too. We came here for the Life-'Shroom." DK began to screech, but stopped when he saw Link. He shrugged, then grabbed another vine before disappearing into the jungle. Kirby sat amazed.

"How did you understand him?" Mario said simply.

"Because he and I have known each other for many years." It was clear he was avoiding the question, and Kirby didn't press the subject. After half an hour waiting, DK returned holding a white mushroom with, instead of dots, hearts on it. DK then said something to Mario before disappearing into the trees.

"About time." Cloud grumbled, laying Link down on the ground. Mario hurried over with Yoshi and Kirby, both eager to see the outcome after the Life-'Shroom. Mario hesitated, then plopped it into Link's mouth. A while passed before a change in Link began. His eyes flew open, but when they did, those blue eyes that everyone knew were Link's were replaced by an evil crimson glow that was familiar. Before anyone could say anything black strands of skin started to cover some of Link's face, arms and neck. He grinned evilly and proclaimed:

"I AM BACK!" Everybody backed away from the grinning Link. That voice! It was….

"DARK!"

**Well! I forgot to mention this in Chapter 6 but if ye want an idea of how Miazma fights then:**

**Go to video. then search 'Unknown Battle khfm.' Watch the gut in the robe.**


	8. Of Swords and Vespetillios

**The Devil Deity is back to give you another chapter! –is shot again-**

**I need a new career….**

**Chapter 8- Of Swords and Vespertillios.**

**DK Jungle**

"In the flesh! Or should I say… Link's flesh!" 'Dark' threw back his head and howled maniacally at the sky. The Smashers were far to tired to defeat such a mighty opponent, and even Link had trouble disposing him, so what chance did they have against him now?

"What have you done to Link, you bastard?" Cloud yelled over the maelstrom of darkness. 'Dark' smirked.

"Nothing. I've just locked his soul away were he won't do any harm." He grinned evilly. "And now… I shall take my leave of you." With that, he leapt past Yoshi and Mario, knocked Cloud and Kirby out of the way and disappeared into the trees, laughing manically.

"Great. Just fucking great." Kirby cursed, helping Cloud of the ground. "Dark's' got control of Link's body, we can't track him and were lost. This can't get any better. No, really." Mario and Yoshi were busy discussing ways to solve the little dilemma that had arisen. Kirby and Cloud began to help as well, adding their ideas to the cauldron of thoughts and worries. After an hours debate Mario delivered the verdict.

"The only way," Mario concluded, "is to find a magic user strong enough to extract 'Dark' from Link. That's as far as my thinking goes… unless any of you have a better idea." Silence enveloped the party, before Kirby piped up.

"We should return to Hyrule. There we can get Zelda's help." There was another silence, before everyone said simultaneously:

"Agreed." The group hefted the packs before starting back through the tangled depths of DK's jungle.

**On the Outskirts of DK's Jungle**

Zelda stood at the edge of DK's Jungle, refusing to enter the myriad of trees out of fear of being beset by bugs, and out of fear of getting lost in the vast space.

"Not. A. Chance. No way am I going in THERE!" She yelled, attempting to run away, but Impa dragged her back. Kesta watched, smirking to himself.

"You wanted to get your Ocarina back, and get it back you shall." Impa said, trying to calm Zelda down without success. Zelda thrashed about.

"No! I'll get bugs in my hair and I'll need to eat monkey!" Somewhere a monkey screeched. Kesta finally emerged from his reclusive silence and walked over to Zelda, unclasping the insignia that held his black cloak over his shoulders. He put it over Zelda's head.

"That'll stop the bugs. The material is thin enough for you to see through." Zelda looked at him gratefully. She was about to thank him but he was already disappearing into the dark trees. Zelda sighed before, along with Impa, started for the trees and out of her familiar Hyrule.

Miazma sat on the black throne, listening to another figure drivelling on about being mistreated. The figure wore black armour, a black snakeskin cloak and black leather boots that made soundlessly moved over the floor. The man's height was monstrously blown out of proportion.

"A' needs more action, ya know what am sayin'?" The figure said looking down at Miazma, who was trying to remain cordial at the mans ignorant accent. _Remind me whose idea it was to recruit the least Vespetillio? _thought Miazma sourly. The Vespertillios's unconvincing voice continued to rail on like a Hyrule fishmonger for nearly half an hour, before Miazma finally barked:

"SILENCE!" The booming voice rose and fell in a minute. At once the figure fell silent. Miazma rubbed his head, which was still obscured by the dark shadow that masked his face due to the lack of light.

"If you want action, then go to DK's Jungle and kill the two Zapharians. Got it?" Miazma shouted, trying to get rid of the Vespertillios. For a long time the air seemed to crackle between them, before the figure gave a curse before vanishing in a blue haze. Miazma let out a sigh of relief. _That Vespertillio is lucky I don't destroy him now._ He rose from the throne, pointed in front of him and bellowed:

"KVARDEM!" At once the polished orb sped out the room and rushed towards Miazma, stopping few feet in front of him. It instantly gained its brilliant silver light, illuminating the twilight of the hall. The figures of the Smashers and Cloud appeared in the stone. They were weary and footsore and walking through the deep jungle of DK. Miazma smirked.

"Good. There going after the princess. As I planned." Like last time, the stone lost its brilliancy and faded to its dull state. Miazma wandered away from the hall into a dark room.

"Now… to find a willing sparring partner."

**DK's Jungle**

"I ain't going' any further until I've had a breather! I'm tired of this to-ing and fro-ing!" Cloud gasped, dropping to the ground in exhaustion, Yoshi likewise dropping on his face. Mario put down his pack, scanning the leaves. Kirby dropped from the sky in Stone form before shattering the stone as if it were nothing.

"I checked as you asked me to." The puffball said. He was the only person not tired. "But there's nothing but trees in every direction for the next three miles." Mario cursed. They had been walking for the past two hours without adequate rest or nourishment. Coupled from that and the effort from carrying Link and the packs and walking to meet DK left them ample to sleep for days on end. Mario collapsed to the ground, wondering weather to keep trekking or stop and eat. Finally he agreed with the others and called:

"We're going to rest for now. I call making food." Everybody except Cloud groaned. When Mario cooked, you could bet you money that it would be something such as pizza, spaghetti or pasta. Kirby and Cloud called watch, which left Yoshi to help Mario. After twenty minutes the food was cooked. Mario and Cloud wordlessly ravaged the pizza Mario and Yoshi had rustled up. However, Kirby and Yoshi did not share the same enthusiasm. Kirby popped it into his mouth before, when Mario was not looking, spitting it out into the jungle. Yoshi swallowed, therefore turning it into an egg before, like Kirby, tossing it away into the dense trees. After the food was finished they washed the frying pan in a nearby stream. Cloud called first watch before stalking away to a nearby boulder, where he perched himself like an unfriendly vulture. To test cleverness, Kirby suggested a game of riddles. Naturally, since Kirby was the smartest of the group, he solved most of them with considerable ease. After half an hour, by which time Kirby asked Yoshi which was the most powerful element when a rustling was herd in the nearby bushes. The party was up like a shot, Cloud vaulting of the rock. He whispered:

"I'll go." Silently drawing the Buster Sword, he crept slowly towards the bush. Yoshi prepared an egg to hurl, Mario got a fireball ready and Kirby drew his hammer. Mario eyed the weapon, taking in how it had changed. Instead of flat heads, it was adorned with spikes. Mario mouthed to the others:

"Get ready." Like a stalking tiger, Cloud edged closer and closer before… he stuck the sword through the long reeds. Before the blade found its mark, a slim steel blade blocked the strike. It was black, with veins of red steel lacing across it. It looked strangely familiar, but the group quickly dismissed the notion. Before anything else could be done a voice flowed from the undergrowth.

"Hey, watch where you're pointing that monster! You nearly killed me!" After the sentence was said, a man who the group took to be little over twenty years old stepped from under the bushes. He was calm-faced and unbearded. Black hair flowed down his back like ivy, obscuring his ears. He was dressed in a brown farmers tunic, black boots and black breeches. On his hands he wore light mail-gauntlets. Mario ran his eye over the mysterious person who had miraculously tracked them down in a jungle of this size and density. Then he remembered that he and Kirby had to clear the jungle to form a path. Before anything could be done or said, Zelda wearing a black cloak and a tall woman who the group minus Cloud did not recognise. Zelda threw of the cloak and stood tall and fair, although her face was curved into a scowl. An awkward silence ensued before Zelda proclaimed:

"First things first." She proceeded to walk up to Cloud, who looked on in puzzlement. She stopped before him before slapping him hard across the face. Cloud's head snapped back in the direction of the Smashers, a wincing expression on his face.

"Ouch! I thought Tifa gave me enough of that after I gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth." Mario looked at Cloud puzzlingly.

"Never mind." The group's attention was now focused on the still unnamed man and the tall woman, who was dressed in odd purple clothing. She apparently noticed the looks and proclaimed:

"I guess you're wondering who I am. I am Impa, last survivor of the Sheikah tribe." The acknowledged each other with introductions and greetings. The raven-haired man remained silent.

"And what about you?" Cloud asked, pointing the Buster Sword at the man. A faint smile quirked on the man's lips.

"I am Kesta Kráaven of Agroaxin Village." He walked over to his cloak, which was on the ground. As he did, his hair shifted, revealing a pair of pointed ears. A chill crept up Mario's spine. _Those are the same as Links! What other surprises does he have?_ A tattoo on Kesta's arm caught his attention. It was twelve balls of flame arranged in a circle. Without warning Kesta said:

"I suppose your wanting to find a person called Link?" The Smashers were stunned, as was Zelda and Impa. Zelda's open mouth abruptly shut. She stared long and hard at Mario.

"What's he talking about?" Mario stepped back, sweating and smiling nervously.

"I…uh…well… ye see… it was…" Yoshi, being the daft dinosaur he is, blurted out:

"We gave him a Life 'Shroom and when he woke 'Dark' possessed him." Zelda clenched her fists as she stepped closer.

"Why did you use a Life 'Shroom?" Mario was aware of how close Zelda was to slapping him silly. He calmed himself down with some deep breaths- and told her and Impa what had happened.

"…and he booted Cloud and Kirby out the way before he disappeared into the trees." Mario concluded. A long silence ensued before Zelda broke it by asking Kesta:

"How did you know that Link was missing?" Kesta grinned, revealing a pair of teeth sharpened to a razor point. Mario shivered. Kesta replied:

"I caught sight of another pair of tracks near here. If I can backtrack I'll be able to extract 'Dark' from your beloved Link." Zelda blushed but insisted:

"No! No! No! No! That's not how it is! Never!" Everybody except Zelda laughed. Mario straightened up.

"Well… we better start back on the trail, then." Before anything could be done a chillingly malicious and famliliar voice cut through the air better than sword said:

"There's no need to do that. I'm already here." The Smashers looked left, right, centre and above but found no traces of the voice in the tangled trees. Mario, surprassing his small amount of fear, said aloud:

"OK Dark, come out now, you coward! Or are you scared?" A deep laugh rumbled through the trees. Darks voice came again.

"Look up, plumber." The second the group looked up, a shout of 'DIVE!' filled the jungle as everyone minus Kesta dived out the way. A half- second later Dark, still in Link's body, plunged from above, sending a small shockwave of darkness rushing along the jungle canopy. Everyone managed to avoid it easily. Dark ripped the Master Sword from the ground, staring at the Smashers with loathe. His crimsom eyes lingered on Kesta, who had already drawn his weapon. He then said in a menacing voice:

"You should have stayed dead, boy." Kesta smiled.

"A man cannot die in a swordfight without being stabbed. Remember that well." Dark spat at the feet of the Smashers.

"So you've come for your Link I guess. Tough! This is my body now!" Kesta stepped foward.

"A single match will be the judge of that, Dark." Dark gave a maniacal grin.

"I accept. To the death?"

"To the death." The charged at one another, weapons blazing. Dark got the first strike in, the Master Sword whistling through the air. Kesta easily blocked the strike in a burst of white sparks. He shoved Dark back and began the most complex chain of blows Impa had ever seen, which she guessed was stretching Dark ingenuity to the limit. The two fighter's seemed to be evenly matched. While Darks black face was red with concentration, Kesta seemed to be enjoying the fight. A swipe from Dark brought the amazed Mario to his senses. Dark was trying furiously to leave at least one mark on Kesta, who was dodging the swipes with ease. Suddenly a blue light surrounded Kesta and his weapon split in two, minorly surprising Dark as well as the group of observing Smashers. A flurry of blows assaulted Dark who was barely able to block any of them. After the last assault had subsided Kesta smahed his fist into Dark's jaw which, to the Smashers amazment. Dark sailed through the air and smashed into a tree, earning a _oomph! _from the shadow. As Dark slid silently to the ground, the Master Sword flipped through the air, heading straight for Kesta's chest. Zelda screamed and tried to stop it with her magic, but the blade had already found it's mark. But instead of impaling Kesta, the sword glanced harmlessly off his chest. Kesta laughed as he walked up to Dark.

" I knew it. You are not a hero, so you can't wield the Master Sword." He stopped in front of Dark, who was struggling to get up. He then dropped his weapon, closed his eyes and began to chant under his breath. The Smashers guessed that he was extracting Dark from Link's body. The barely moving body floated into the air before, of Dark's accord, began to scream and thrash voilently. The dark blotches all over Link's skin began to pull and meld together at a point over his chest. First a head came from the darkness, then a torso and arms. Now Dark was really screaming, and a maelstrom of darkness and howling wind crept up, even through the thick trees.

"YOU WILL NEVER BE FREE OF ME!" Screeched Dark, before he was fully drawen out and, like a piece of glass, shattered into thousands of black chips. The maelstrom broke as well as Dark and when it did, a enormous shockwave blasted any tree within thirty feet into pieces. Bark and woodchips flew everywhere, and a blanket of thick rolling smoke coiled around the battlefield, obscuring anybody hidden within. When the blanket of foul air had finally gone, the Smashers looked upon a stunned Link, who was on the ground blinking, as if he did not understand what had happened. Kesta stood over him, staff-sword in hand. Zelda rushed over to Link, tripping in the process. When she reached Link, she hugged him and, when the embrace was done, her look of gentalness was replaced by a scowl. She slapped Link, harder than she had did with Cloud. Instead of stopping, she kept on going before she was pulled of by Impa. Link squeaked for help. Kesta looked at the teen, taking in every detail of him.

"What happened? I wake up, only to be attacked by a witch!" The comment drove Zelda berserk, and she struggled even more until Cloud did what he did in Ganondorf's castle- knock her out. She collasped in a heap in Impa's arms.

"Well... that's one way of calming her down."

Mario ran over to Link, seeing that Kirby and Cloud were already there. He pulled a still bewildered Link to his feet. Suddenly Kirby spoke:

"Am I the only person who's noticed it's night?" At once the team looked up. The moon, being nearly full, illuminated the now formed clearing. At the edge, a stream trickled by. The place seemed ideal place to camp, stating:

"We should sleep here tonight." Everyone agreed, but one problem sprung up:

"How do we make tents?" Without warning, some of the nearby trees were ripped out, were being split and hoolowed out the group stared in amazment at what was happening. In less than a few minute's, five reasonably large tents were constructed. The group looked at Kesta, who shrugged off their looks and went to the edge of the clearing. A minute later, he returned with some fire wood, which Mario wordlessly lit. The Smashers (with the exception of Zelda) sat around the fire. Soon Cloud asked Kesta:

"You can use magic? How?" Kesta simply said:

"I was born with it. It caused some rift between my parents back then." Cloud was wanting to push for more details, but left it at that. Soon afterwards Kirby, Yoshi and Impa had went to their allocated tents to sleep, leaving Mario, Link, Cloud and Kesta on their own. After a while Kesta stood up.

"I'm going for a walk." those that remained said together:

"Don't get lost." A few moments had gone when Mario and Link called it a day. Cloud once again went on watch, walking away into the jungle, Buster Sword drawn. Mario fell to the floor of his tent, exausted. He fell asleep instantly, floating into the dream world.

**Outside camp**

Cloud sat motionless on the boulder, thinking. About The storm... the storm that had taken him away from his friends and home, about Kesta... he had been a tad suspicious about him before he destroyed Dark, but now he felt he could trust him. He wanted to just go home and forget everything, to see Tifa, Barret, Red XIII, Vincent and the others. But at the same time he didn't wan't to leave the friends he'd made... Mario... Yoshi... Link... Kirby. He looked at the sky. It was getting blood-red. _I've been awake for ages._ Suddenly a rustling caught his attention. His grip on the Buster Sword tightened. The bracken exploded and birds flew and squalked. A creature rushed at him- it's face obscured by a black hood- charged at him with a short sword. Cloud parried the blow and slashed back. The creature blocked easily. The long hours of watching had taken their toll. The creature's arm moved in a blur, and pain exploded on Clouds head. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was that black hood converging upon him...

**Camp**

_Mario's dreams were filled with nightmares. He saw Kesta, grinning at him evilly, surrounded by fire,his face bloodied, standing beside the corpses of two people, one man and one woman, lying in a puddle of blood, as if to protect one another. Then Kesta turned his back and walked away back into the flames. The darkness around Mario swamped him, trying to drown him..._

_He was now in a endlees void, completely dark. Somehow he could still see. He saw Cloud impaled on the Buster Sword, his head rolled towards Mario, his eyes closed. Kirby had been diced and the bloody pieces had been constructed into a red ziggurat. The eyes looked at Mario softly. Link's decapitated head lay in a pool of blood, the eyes shut. Yoshi's head had been cut open and the brain removed. The eyes, again, were shut. There was a sudden roar, and Cloud's, Link's and Yoshi's eyes opened. Horror engulfed Mario, and he turned and ran. In his head he could hear voices that sounded like people were following him. He suddenly fell... fell... into darkness..._

_When he picked himself of the floor he was back on Final Destination. At the far end stood a lone, robed figure. Two wings exploded from his back._

_"Who...who are you?" he asked, backing away. As the face turned into the light-_

He suddenly woke, sweating in the tent. He heards the faint clank of metal. Suddenly remembering Cloud, he rushed from the tent, leaving his cap behind. He ran through the camp- ingoring the sleeping people. The dream's voices rang in his ears, his heart hammering like a drum.Eventually he found Cloud comatose. He ran to his side and shook him voilently.

"Cloud!... CLOUD!" Cloud suddenly shot bolt upright and yelled in pain. Then Mario saw that a few chunks of flesh on his arm had been bitten off. Mario gagged in revulsion. Another rustling caused Cloud to forget his pain and grab the Buster Sword. Then from the bracken came an enormously tall man, with an odd make of armour and a long, ragged cape. His black boots were a third of Mario's height. The two staggered back as the man grinned.

"A' am Spinta man! A'm a Vespetillios!" The man proclaimed, drawing a mace. Cloud's eyes widened in fear, and Spinta's tightened in rage.

"It's you! You're that wan from the Tourney! This is perfect! I achieve me goals and get revenge at the same time!" He charged, swinging the mace. Cloud, glowing with blue light. He stabbed straight through Spinta's guard, catching him on the leg and leaping skyward. A small cut on Spinta's leg was all that attack had achieved. Mario's Flamesword formed, surprising him as it only happened when enormous evil was near. He slashed and stabbed, desperate to quickly end the battle. Spinta blocked them all with ease. He lunged fowards, swinging the mace arounds. One blow from it would be more than enough to kill either of the two men fighting him. Mario swung the Cape, reversing the mace to make it deliver a smack to Spinta's head. The Vespetillio was unharmed but quickly gaining anger. Cloud was stabbing and parrying Spinta's blows, somehow able to dodge the few that got near him. Mario was charging an enormous fireball when a scream and a squawk came from behind him. The fighting instantly stopped. The three humanoids turned to see Link fleeing a pack of angry Cucco's. They were giving him severe ankle pecks, Link was giving them frantic slashes of the Master Sword. From behind him came Impa's voice.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO ATTACK THEM! WHY MUST YOU ALWAYS TRY TO KILL THEM!" She yelled, blundering after him, only to stop, as Link did, when she came face to face with the angry yet stunned Vespetillio.

"Ohh..." Link said, gazing skyward into the malicious, glee-filled eyes of Spinta.

"Shit." Impa finished for him, repeating the same gesture as Link, stunning him, as he'd never heard her use a profanity before. Spinta's gleaming mace suddenly shot foward, smacking Cloud on the arm. The sickening crunch of bones followed. Amazingly, Cloud didn't cry out of even whine. All that happened was a little whine. The mace then disappated in Spinta's enormous, gauntletted hand, leaving a coil of serpan-like smoke

"A' right you win." He said. "A'll let ye go... for now!" And he disappeared in a flash of blue light. The Smashers gave a sigh of relief. Mario jumped to his feet as he remembered Clouds injuries. He jumped round, seeing Cloud was still bleeding, and ripped a sleeve off his red shirt.

"That should stop the blood for now. Let's a- just hope it doesn't get infected." He said with a smile. Cloud nodded. Yet another rustling came from the trees. The Smashers readied themselves for combat. Impa drew a long dagger as long as her arm. Link readied himself in a fighters stance. Mario begam to charge a fireball and Cloud twirled the Buster Sword. The bracken parted, and the form of Kesta stepped out, weapon in hand. He roared:

"What happened? I swear, if it an Amphridite I'm going-" The sentence was muted as he saw Mario and the group with more relieved looks from the Smashers. Mario gave a nod, then spotted Kesta's weapon. One of the black blades was stained red.

"What happened?" Inquired Mario, gesturing at the red blood lacing down the glaive's sharp end. Kesta looked at the weapon and laughed.

"Oh that... I cut my hand while sharpening it." Mario stared hard at Kesta, and vice versa, Kesta challenging him to disagree with his statement. Eventually Mario lowered his gaze, and the group returned to camp. After banking the fire the group contuinued onward, but it wasn't long before the tree's parted and the group steped out of DK's jungle and into the wilderness of the Flat-Zone.

**WOW! MY LONGEST CHAPPY YET AT 4,17-SOME WORDS! R&R PEOPLE!**


	9. The Battle of The Flat Zone

**The Devil Deity (dodges bullet) is back to give you another Chapter, people! (dodges another bullet)**

**Chapter 9- The Battle of The Flat-Zone**

**The Eastern Plains**

_Almost there,_ thought Mario. He took a deep breathe and looked at the sky. The clouds had turned blood-red as the dying sun was chased behind the far-off hills of Altea. Ever since The Smashers had left DK's jungle Mario's mind had been clouded with thoughts of two things: What did his dream mean? And who was Spinta? The angry Vespetillio, as he learned his race was once called, had lingered in Mario's mind ever since he broke Cloud's hand in the dark undergrowth of DK's jungle. His power-level, which only Zelda and Kesta could sense, was insanely high. _Kesta… _that man was another thing that stayed in his mind. He was powerful in magic and skilled with the sword. He couldn't be normal blacksmith as he'd claimed to the party. As hard as he tried, he couldn't make sense of what had happened over the week. They had foes beyond normal human strength chasing them and all the while the party lived in a bit of fear of waking up with their throats slashed. Mario heard footsteps behind him. He turned round to see Yoshi walking towards him.

"What you thinking about?" Yoshi asked, sitting beside him. Mario stayed silent for a while, before saying:

"A great many things. For instance… what's happening? I'm only trying to find my back-then-thought-dead brother, but now we have Spinta and who knows what things chasing us. I'm not afraid… I just…" He stopped before pounding the grass with his gloved fist. "None of this makes sense." He held his head in his hands. He remained in the posture for a long time before Yoshi spoke up.

"What do you think of Kesta?" The query surprised Mario, who had been expecting something like "What we doing here again?" from the docile green dinosaur. He scratched his chin, saying:

"Hard to tell. He's a bit of an enigma, to a- be honest. But a good-natured one." When the sentence was finished Mario turned to face Yoshi in the eye before asking:

"Why? What do you a- think of him?" Yoshi sighed before looking back at Kesta, who was staring into the fire impassively. Although it was hard to tell because he was staring downwards, Yoshi thought he could see a smirk on his face.

"He smells…. strange. He feels strange." Yoshi said with a shiver. "I don't really trust him." This comment stunned Mario, as the only person Yoshi didn't trust was Bowser. He immediately said:

"Why? He's a good person. If he wasn't, then why would he extract 'Dark' from Link?" Yoshi shrugged.

"I'm just saying what I think. You asked and I answered. Make of it what you will." Mario sighed, got up and walked back to the fire, leaving a prone Yoshi behind. When he was ten feet away he called:

"OK, times up! We a- need to go now!" A chorus of groans was his answer. Impa was the first up, followed by Kesta, and the rest of the group followed. They moved in a big rabble, walking on ahead, leaving Mario to bank the fire. He sighed, doused the flames and wandered after the group to an uncertain future.

**Outside the Flat-Zone**

"We're a- here!"

The sentence awakened the party, who looked at Mario, who was at the front of the group, with joy at finally able to get a decent rest. Before the group did anything else Mario walked up to them with surprising speed and said in a low monotone:

"Be careful in the Flat-Zone. It's 2D- ness is said to make people feel weird and a- not is as it seems…" The group leaned forward, angling for more information. Only Impa and Kesta did nothing. Mario looked at both of them, comparing their stoic nature. Zelda's musical voice, finally drained of anger for Link, snapped Mario out of his comparison.

"And? Anything else?" Mario shook his head, spread his hands like a Hyrule priest and proclaimed:

"Nope. Except the matter of the 2D world." This seemed to worry the group a bit before Mario added:

"It's a- nothing to worry about. You'll see for yourself." After that sentence, Mario about-turned and strode away for the Flat-Zone. The group sighed and followed him. The Smashers had only walked twenty paces before a bright light enveloped the group. Zelda gave a small, surprised shriek. When the light cleared, the entire group was-

"Paper! I'm paper thin!" Came Zelda's again-surprised squeal.

Paper Kirby as well!" Kirby said, for once surprised.

"What the hell?! I'm Paper-Link!" Came Link's astonished voice. One by one the group proclaimed them being wafer thin. Only Kesta and Cloud's voices remained silent. The group turned, only to see that the duo had remained untouched by The Flat-Zone's 2D effect.

"OK, explain why you're still… you?" Yoshi asked. There was a short silence before Kesta spoke.

"Having an ability with magic comes in handy at times." He fell silent. The group waited for an answer from Cloud. There was a long silence before he said:

"Maybe it's because… I'm from another world." The group's eyes nearly popped out their heads.

"Wha…?!" They all began, but were cut off by Cloud speaking again:

"Long story that I don't want to discuss." The yammer of questions immediately. Cloud stalked away to the front of the group, signifying that he was a tad touchy about the subject. After that there was a lot less talk with the group as they wandered to Game & Watch City.

**Game & Watch City**

The group wandered the streets, expecting to see the hustle-and-bustle of Game & Watch life. Instead they were greeted by a fanfare of… complete silence. A wind suddenly picked up, and an open shutter on a nearby window banged against the wall of a monochrome black house. A 2D tumbleweed rolled by, pausing every now and then before resuming. The hairs on Mario's neck stood on end, giving him the apprehension of evil. The group's pace slowed and Yoshi asked with a burr of fear:

"Where is everyone?" No-one in the group answered, no-one _knew _what to say. The continued down the main street, which lead out into Destination Square, so called because the leader of the Game & Watch, THE Mr Game & Watch, renamed it after the place where the Hands were defeated five years ago. In the middle of the square, which saw thousands of Game & Watch's a day, was completely deserted. Mario began to daydream, wondering what had happened here, hoping that it wasn't empty like Hyrule…

A snapping sound brought Mario back to reality. He twisted his head and saw Yoshi holding a snapped monochrome twig. Link rounded on him, saying:

"Keep quiet! There may be Amphridites here!" Yoshi blushed violently and threw the twig away. The second it hit the ground a voice called:

"Stop! Ye be surrounded by seventy Poker-Throwers! They'll fire if ye move!" As if on cue, Game & Watches came up everywhere. Some on top of houses, some from cracks in the paved ground, and the rest from manholes. Link had already drawn the Master Sword and shield, Kesta had drawn his glaive and Impa her long dagger. A Game & Watch wielding a black 2D hammer wandered up the party. When he stopped and saw Mario, relief was clear in his voice.

"Sorry I threatened ye, Sir Mario." Said the Game & Watch. "But Mr Game & Watch and all the Game & Watch army have gone tae the Flat- Zone Fields, where we mine for oil. There were reports of a bastard Amphridite army comin' tae destroy us all! There awa' tae fight them, Sir." This information alarmed Mario, who suddenly was prepared to dash to the Flat- Zone Fields and help the Game & Watch army defeat the Amphridites. Link scratched his chin in memory and said:

"I once knew someone who talked like you." The comment was aimed at the Game & Watch, but he took no notice, as he was begging for the group to help the Game & Watch's to destroy the Amphridites.

"Please, help's fer fucks sake! We're outnumbered!" Mario thought about the situation. He wanted to help the Game & Watch's in battle. On the other hand it was risky, not to mention it wasn't their war. While he was deciding Link inquired:  
"Exactly how outnumbered are you?" The Game & Watch was silent for a while, before he said a bit weakly:

"Aboot five tae one." Link nodded.

"And how many men do you have?" Again the Game & Watch officer was silent, for longer this time, before he said:

"Only twenty thousand." The second the sentence was finished Link gave a sudden outburst:

"A HUNDRED THOUSAND?!?!" The Game & Watch officer nodded solemnly.

"We was outfoxed. I knows it's selfish but please! Help us or we'll all die fer-" The sentence was cut off by Kesta's seldom heard voice:

"We'll help, don't you worry your 2D head." The group looked at him incredulously, as if to say "We will?" Kesta walked to the front of the group, his eyes alight with an unknown glow. "At least I will." After a while the group agreed with him. Mario cracked his knuckles and stated:

"Well, the a- only problem is a- getting to the battlefield." The Game & Watch said in a friendly tone:

"There's no need to worry. We have a vehicle." Mario didn't like the sound of that.

"What is it?"

**The Flat-Zone Fields**

"I'll never ask a Game & Watch for lift again," groaned Mario. His head was spinning and he felt rather nauseated. The ride on the Game & Watch fire truck was fast and sick-making. Just behind him he heard Zelda wretch. He calmed himself, then straightened up and looked at the sky. The sun had been chased away by the night, leaving the moon to illuminate the world. Since Kesta and Cloud were 3D they had to take advantage of Kesta's ability with magic to transport the two fighters to the battlefield. Once the Smashers had recovered and the Game & Watch officer had apologized and sent someone else to drive the fire truck back to Game & Watch City. The truck sped of, leaving behind a cloud of monochrome dust. A crackling sound was heard, a red and black portal appeared and Cloud and Kesta stepped out from it. Cloud appeared a bit pale. He stood upright and tall before proclaiming:

"I'd rather run all the way from Midgar to The Gold Saucer." Everyone turned towards him. "Never mind." Kesta walked past him, saying:

"You get used to it after a while." Mario sighed as he saw a large Game & Watch rushing up to him. He paused to catch his breath, then addressed the Game & Watch with the Smasher's, saying:

"This way, Game-ac." The Game & Watch now known as Game-ac nodded before running after the large Game & Watch, the Smashers following them. They had to climb over earthen defences and push through some Game & Watch battalions before they finally made it to the command centre, which was rather haphazardly at the right hand side of the Game & Watch army. Climbing there was quite a task, so the team had to have a bit of a rest before pressing on. Upon entering the command centre, they were greeted by a thicket of hammers being pointed at them. At once the weapons filed away, showing several Game & Watch commanders. One of them had a nasty scar on the forehead, stretching from one end to the other. The scarred Game & Watch walked slowly up to Mario, as if seeing him for the first time. He asked in a shakey voice:

"Mario?" His voice was strong, although it carried an undertow of misery, like that of a man who had lost something precious. Mario gave a grin.

"Hello, Mr Game & Watch." A vein throbbed in the Game & Watch's head. He walked up to Mario, who was giving an idiotic grin. Mr Game & Watch stopped, planted his feet wide apart and took a few deep breaths.

Then he punched Mario on the chin.

The force of the blow sent Mario to the floor, who knew this was payback for leaving the other Smashers on Final Destination five years ago. A black hand grasped his shoulder and lifted him upright. Mario stood, tasting blood in his mouth, to face Mr Game & Watch giving a grin.

"Been waiting for that moment for a long time Mario." Mario smiled, although his 2D jaw hurt a bit. He never bothered; it was true, he deserved it. He then asked, partly out of a desire to unsettle Mr Game & Watch:

"When's the battle starting?" Mr Game & Watch sighed, then explained how he had organized the groups of Game & Watch. Five thousand were Poker-Throwers, five thousand were Keyblade-men and the rest were Hammer-men.

"… So I want you up at the front with me when the Amphridites begin to charge." Concluded Mr Game & Watch. "Also, if you see the commander, kill him without hesitation." He turned and walked away, only to freeze ridgid as a trumpeting sound ran out. The Game & Watch's around the room glanced at each other fearfully. Mr Game & Watch gave a curse and yelled:

"They're charging early! Come on!" And with that, he leapt from the command centre, all the Game & Watch commanders following him. Mario could already here the battle- cries of the Game & Watch army and the high-pitched screechs of the Amphridites. Mario turned, gave a sly grin before jumping and leaping out the window, followed by Yoshi and Cloud, then Kesta and finally everyone else.

**The Flat-Zone Fields**

Mario found Mr Game & Watch running towards the huge mass of Amphridites amassing before him without fear. He gave a savage grin before tearing after him, being bracketed by Yoshi and Cloud. The two armies collided in a defeaning roar. Hammers, heads and limbs flew into the air as the battle got underway. Mario launched himself at a group of Amphridites, unleashing a hoarse shout. At that point, Mario seemed to fall deaf, but he didn't care. His Flamesword materialized in his right hand, he slashed away four Amphridites with ease. Bloodlust gripped him, and he stabbed and parried their swipes easily. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Link stabbing at a knot of Amphridites, a content smile on his face. Beside him was Cloud with the same look, casually flipping overhead and severing Amphridites heads with savage blows. He looked in front of him to Kesta surrounded by dozens of Amphridites, his face disfigured by a vicious snarl as he cut down anything that came near him. Mario got back to reality, only to see in the distance that the Amphridites were manning war-machines, such as catapults that tossed ceramnic balls of liquid fire. This, along with other types of bombardment, stalled the Game & Watch armies advance, and eventually stopped it altogether. Suddenly a ball of light arched down on two catapults, destroying them in a blast of light and an explosion. Mario turned around, only to see Zelda with her arms raised in the air, bracketed by a worried Impa and a Game & Watch with his arm raised in preparation to throw something. The Game & Watch battalion arched their arms and threw their Pokers, which blocked out the sky like a shower of iridescent meteors. Most of the Pokers hit the Amphridites, but some, through ill fortune, hit the Game & Watch's. Mario rushed to help Kirby, who was being surrounded by some-hundred Amphridites. He was screaming for help as an Amphridite slashed at him, scratching him on his tiny arm. Mario roared like a bear. A friend was in dnager, and he was invincible. He cut a way through to Kirby, before realizing with horror that he too, was surrounded. Even with two, there was just too many Amphridites. Mario waited as his doom, sliced towards him…

A hoarse yell rang out. Kirby and Mario looked up with awe as Mr Game & Watch fell from the tortured sky. He called:

"Get down!" which both Smashers instantly obeyed. They looked in surprise as Mr Game & Watch's twin hammers extended. He twirled like a ballet dancer until all the Amphridites were knocked away. He looked at Mario, who had picked himself of the ground, and yelled above the clamour of battle:

"Find the commander or we're done for, because we can't stave of this many Amphridites!" Then he dashed away, swinging his twin hammers over his head. As Mario watched Mr Game & Watch rush away, he saw a lone figure on a nearby hill, observing the battle himself. Mario grabbed Kirby and said over the noise:

"Get everyone together and meet me at that boulder over there!" Kirby nodded, then fled in the direction of Link and Cloud.

Fifteen minutes later, Mario saw Kirby had assembled the Smashers at the black monchrome boulder. Mr Game & Watch screamed at Mario:

"You got a plan?!" Mario nodded, then said:

"Get the Game & Watch's out of here!" Mr Game & Watch hesitated, then raised his head and let loose a powerful BEEP! The Game & Watch army must have understood this, because they immediately rushed from their various battles and headed past the Smashers towards the main camp, as did the Poker- Throwers. The Amphridites gave a screech and charged at the Smashers. They were only a few feet away when Mario yelled:

"KESTA, NOW!" Kesta rose his arms, the gaunlets covering them shining because of the fires that burned around the battlefield. At once the Amphridites flew backwards, as if hit by an invisible sledgehammer. Kesta's face was tight with concentration. Mario, Link and Mr Game & Watch went to the head of the group. More Amphridites jumped at them, only to be batted away by Kesta's magical ward. Mario hands glowed with bloody flames.

"Volcanic…" He said.

"Infernus…" Mouthed Link.

"Fire…" Said Mr Game & Watch monotonously. Suddenly Mario's closed eyes snapped open.

"ERUPTION!!!"

"SLASH!!!"

"DRIVE!!!" The shaft of fire from Mario melded with the flames from the Master Sword and the fireballs from Mr Game & Watch's hammers, creating a huge wall of flame that stretched twenty foot across. It collided with the tide of Amphridites, ringing out a huge explosion and a blast of hot air that rippled off Kesta's barrier. Once the dust cleared their was a clear path, although Amphridites began to submerge it again. Mario gave a single shouted word:

"RUN!" Everyone ran like mad towards the path, passing through Kesta's barrier and hacking at any Amphridites that came towards them. Once at the base of the hill they watched as the Amphridite army closed in on them, before a tired word broke the screechs:

"VALVAÉDO!" The group was enveloped in a flash of red and black light and they disappeared.

Once the light had cleared, the Smashers found themselves a lot higher than they were. Mario walked a few metres, only to be greeted with a sheer drop of about fifty feet. Below, he saw a sea of Amphridites. He looked behind him to see Kesta using his glaive like a prop-up. The rest of the group were staring ahead. Mario followed their gaze to see a lone figure a few yards away. He scowled at them. This man was huge, well over nine foot, and had a rather dirty- if not grotesque- face. His nose was broken, scars covered his face and he had cliffs of matted hair, giving him a dim-witted appearance. Mario looked at his hands and cursed. They were made of stone instead of flesh, covering his hands like a pair of gloves. No-one dared to move. Finally Mario asked:

"Who are a- you?" The stranger turned to him and said in a grave, thick accent:

"I'm Gyrok, ya bass!" He took a step forward, observed the group and spoke:

"Am gonnae fight the green-hieded prick!" Everyone turned at Link, who was mortified that someone insulted his hat. He stepped forward, his face in a cold, razor line of anger and said hotly:

"So be it." Mario tried to stop him, saying:

"Link, stop! Look at those hands! He'll a- cream you!" Link shook his head voilently.

"He insulted the hat. Now he must die." The determination in his voice and face showed that he would fight to the death for his hat. No-one else questioned him as he took his battle stance. Gyrok, unable to run because of his stone hands, lumbered forward. Link charged as well, rage in his face. Gyrok threw a punch at lInk, who caught it on his shield. The blow had left a formidable dent. Gyrok took the opportunity and puched again. Link ducked and slashed at Gyrok's back. The giant seemed not to feel anything as he wheeled around and smashed into Link shield with his head. The shield slipped, and the head went into Links ribcage. It didn't hurt, although it did wind him. Link growled, obvoiusly more angry, and wove a web of steel around Gyrok. All the swipes were deflected by Gyroks hands, which sent the Master Sword skating away in a burst of sparks. But the battle before had robbed Link of most of his strength. Gyrok seized his chance and smashed a fist into Link's arm. A scream tore from Link's lips as he dropped the Master Sword. Gyrok sneered in contempt. But when Link rose his head again, his blue eyes were replaced by an evil glow. He rose to his feet, clenched his fists, closed his eyes and let loose an hideous scream. At once he was enveloped in a bright light and an explosion rang out. When the dust and light had cleared, they saw Link. Only… he was different. His golden hair was replaced by a black mane, a black aura surrounded his figure and a black energy sword in his hand. He rushed forward with such speed that Gyrok couldn't react. He yelled:

"This canna happin! Am da big man! I'm-"

"A dead man." Replied Link coldly before running him though with the sword. No sound came from Gyrok. Link tossed him into the air and began slashing, ending with a downward swipe, a huge balst of black energy and a scream of:

"BEAT IT!!!!" Once the smoke cleared, Gyrok was gone, completely disintergrated by Link. Link fell to earth, his breathing laboured.

"Holy ficking shit." Said Mr Game & Watch.

"So you're leaving?" Mario nodded. Once the Smashers had gotten back down the hill, all the Amphridites had disappeared, probably never to return. Mr Game & Watch nodded.

"Well… if you ever need a rest, then drop by. The Super-Flat World is eternally grateful for your and everyone else's help." Mario nodded again, his thoughts on what had happened. He heard Mr Game & Watch sigh.

"Well… from here go for about ten miles and you'll reach Runealea, a mining and trading outpost with Hyrule. From there you can catch a liner to Altea." Mario nodded once more and gave a grin.

"Well… good luck, Mr Game & Watch." The Game & Watch gave a smile, then watched as the Smashers disappeared from the Flat Zone and into an uncertain future.

**TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE UP, KENRAI!**


	10. Set a Zapharian to Kill a Kraken

**Hey all. Had a serious case of Writers Block for a while. Had to get my brain surgically altered to stop it. After that I had a rather cold. Apart from that I'm OK. :p**

**Chapter 10- Set a Zapharian to kill a Kraken**

_A lone figure sat on a thick tree branch, his hair flaming red and his face obscured by a blanket of shadow. His rich clothes and armour were rent in several places, cuts covered his arms and his flowing cape was torn at the base. A pair of horns grew from his head, peaking from under his hair. His eyes, the only thing visible from his hair and the shadow, shone with manic insanity and, perhaps, an undertow of desire. The figures stood tall and straight. He stared into the black night and mouthed:_

'_You thought I was out of the game… but now, I'm holding all the cards.' He hopped gently down from the tree, his eyes burning with venom._

'_I'll… GET EVERYTHING BACK!' he gave the tree a savage punch. Spider-webbed cracks appeared in the tree's base before it slowly crashed down to earth. The figure flew off, laughing manically. _

Mario sat bolt upright, sweat drenching his face. He squinted in the light, half-shutting his eyes to shield them from the sun's rays. _They're getting worse now._

He let out a deep sigh, then turned around to observe the camp. Link was already up. Impa and Zelda sat back to back, eyes shut and breathing shallow. Yoshi and Kirby were to Mario's left, in the form of a speckled green egg and a Thwomp. Faint noises came from the egg. Cloud sat the furthest away from the group, Buster Sword within grabbing distance. His blonde, spiky head was bowed, indicating that he to was asleep. Finally, he turned to face Kesta. The self-proclaimed blacksmith was sitting, his back to an elm sapling. His head bowed and his eyes were closed, although he wasn't breathing. Having an uneasy feeling, Mario got up and strode over to where Kesta was lying. He reached out to jab him on the chest, but a gauntleted hand shot out, catching it in midair. Kesta's eyes flew open as the other hand wrenched a dagger hidden in his boot. The point was half an inch away from Mario's left eye. Cold sweat poured of Mario's forehead, giving him a shiny layer of skin. A grunt came from behind the dagger, then it took itself away from Mario's face. A relieved sigh came from Mario, and he slumped slightly.

"Don't do that again." Kesta said dryly, putting the dagger back where it came from. "I could have killed you." Mario let out a nervous chuckle, slightly shaken.

"You nearly did, considering the speed you reacted at." Kesta gave a small grin, then pushed past Mario, settled away from the group and started sharpening his glaive with a whetstone from his pocket. Mario watched him silently, wondering to himself:

_Why would a 'normal' blacksmith be so heavily armed?_

He heard footsteps behind him. Steadying himself, he turned, only to be face to face with Yoshi. Yoshi looked him sternly, then said:

"I saw what happened. Did he hurt you?" Mario shook his head vigorously. Yoshi gave a wry look, then continued:

"I told you he's suspicious. Why else would he be that armed? And why did he join us, even when we don't know him?" Mario racked his brain to find a way to silence Yoshi. In the end he brusquely said:

"He's a good person." There was a pause before he added: "Why would he help us if he wasn't?" Yoshi frowned, signifying he could think of no rebuke.

"Have it your way then." He about-turned and strode away from Mario. He could tell Yoshi was irritated. He stood rooted in place, angry at himself for being so brusque with Yoshi. When Mario found himself back to reality, he was aware the entire camp was now awake and already turning away to the mining village of Runealea. Mario sighed, then banked the fire. As he did so, he caught Kesta's lips moving, as if he were speaking to himself. For no reason, he shivered.

"What a mess." Said Link. Runealea lay before them after three hours trekking. Yoshi was the first to spot the first sign of life since the Flat Zone. And, as the group got closer, the saw what a sight it truly was. The houses were large, but were constructed haphazardly and in no particular order, making the village look a serial fire hazard. Mario joined Link, staring at the ugly sight before them.

"If nothing else, it's an eyesore." The Smasher's continued their way to the village, taking the appalling surroundings. Children wrapped in flour sacks and other such storage bags stared at the group with wide eyes. The men wore baggy smocks and soft leather boots, their coal-smeared faces twisted into hard scowls, both of fear and anger. Most of the women wore black lace veils and black clothes of mourning.

"Looks like they've had trouble." Said Impa quietly. Mario nodded, then clapped his hands and replied:

"We might as well find the docks." Zelda turned around, asking:

"How come?"

"Because," said Mario, "unless you want to spend the next month navigating around the Lynian Sea, a ferry is welcome." And there was no further argument. Navigating around the filthy streets, the team, bribing some and using charisma with others, to find the docks. Delays, such as the fact that most people ran away when being bribed, ate up the early hours of the day. The moment arrived in the late afternoon when they finally learned where the docks were. It was hidden in a cave just out of sight of the village. Whilst walking to it, Link turned around out of the blue before asking no-one in particular:

"Where's Kesta?" The group turned to face him, only to see that the blacksmith was gone. Mario scratched his head in puzzlement and muttered to himself:

"Where'd he go?" The group made no attempt to find him, and so continued their way to the docks. After a while of walking, they found the dock's as well as Kesta. His face was twisted into a scowl of annoyance.

"About time you got here." The group gaped.

_How did he manage to get here before us if he didn't know where to go?_ Before Mario could give the subject anymore thought Kesta continued:

"I bartered passage on a ferry making a jaunt over to Altea. It leaves in a half-hour from now." He pointed to a sleek liner made from solid steel. Most of the group nodded and filed away, but Mario and Link stayed behind, wanting to know.

"How did you manage to get here before us? And how did you get passage on a ferry without gold?" Kesta gave a trademark wolfish smile, exposing dagger white teeth, before simply saying:

"I have my ways." With that, he departed, leaving for the vessel anchored at the far end, leaving Link and Mario on their own. Before Mario could stew on his thoughts, Link placed a gloved hand on his shoulder and said:

"Come. Let's join the others." Mario hesitated, then nodded, although he was mainly preoccupied on Kesta's last sentence, which seemed to reach him mentally.

_I have my ways._

The cold shiver that Mario encountered earlier that day returned for the same reason it had the other time. None. Still deep in thought, Mario wandered to the ship that was to carry them across the cruel sea, but as he neared, he heard an overly loud sailor with an unkempt, white beard, presumably the captain, saying:

"… and I expect a larger sum of gold from you folk for doing this trip. The only reason I'm doing it is because-" He looked at Kesta, who was leaning against one of the cabins. "-Because your raven-haired friend here promised me a fair sum for doing this jaunt." Impa was at the head of the group, her face calm, discussing, and possibly haggling, the captain.

"What's wrong? Why are you afraid of the open ocean?" The captain's look was an astonished one.

"Haven't you heard? Starting several months ago-" He paused and sidestepped to let a young, frightened-looking man walk past him. "-Someone- or some_thing_- has been attacking our vessels. Ships go out, they're never seen again. Most people are saying it's some sort of magic. It's gotten so bad that we can't trade with Altea, and vice-versa. Most people are beginning to starve because of the lack of food or money to buy it locally, which is more expensive." At the end of his narration, the sailor looked hysterical. Impa gave a confused expression.

"Then why can't the people buy local food?" The captain's face was rather brusque by now, as if he were getting increasingly frustrated.

"Because, most of the men here are sailors, and the women have children to attend to. _That _we can't afford any food. I need to money to feed my wife and children, and I would rather try to get to Altea than face certain death by starvation." Impa nodded.

"So how much will it take for you to risk you life to get us across?" The captain stared into the distance, executed a cluster of little steps, before stopping altogether and rubbing his chubby hands together and saying:

"1,000 gold or 500 rupee's. I won't sail an inch if I don't get that amount." Impa gave a sly smile before saying the words Link was dreading:

"I think Link can handle this." Link let out a weak whimper, before trudging slowly over to the captain's outstretched hand. His eyes were filled with what looked like tears as he poured the money into the captain's hand. A smile, if a nervous one, appeared on the bearded man's face. Once Link's wallet was empty, the captain said:

"The name's Worran. And it's time to go now!"

"Now?" Mario said weakly.

"Now."

Mario wretched over the port gunwale into the heaving sea's below him. He never had been too good with ships and as such, spent most of the time hauling his guts into the dark water's below the boat.

"You don't look to good." Mario stopped heaving for a moment and turned to find Link and Kesta standing behind him. "In fact you look like shit." Continued Kesta. Mario's pale face glistened with sweat as he asked:

"Why… why are you-" He paused, before spinning round and wretched over the gunwale of the ship. Link took up where Mario had left.

"What he meant to say is… why are you travelling with us?" Kesta gave a frown, before speaking loudly, in order to mask Mario heaving sounds.

"Well, I must admit, I wanted revenge on 'Dark' for what he done to me. Now he's dead, I don't have a reason to be anywhere else. But as for why I WANT to travel with you, I'll keep that to myse-" He was abruptly cut of by a grinding noise as the ship slowed to a halt. The rest of the Smashers joined Link, where Zelda asked:

"What's wrong?" One of the sailors's shouted:

"Mebbe's we hit a reef."

"I don't think so. But all that leave's-" All eyes fell on the Worran, whose own eyes were slowly widening. "But that's impossible; they never come this far up from the deep!" The second the sentence was finished, a sleek tentacle shot through the water on the starboard side and grabbed one of the sailor's by the head. The screaming man flew of the vessel, where upon four much larger tentacle's exited the water, along with a huge black and purple fin fifty feet tall. The tentacle holding the still-screaming sailor went to the base of the fin, where a rectangle-shaped mouth lined with rows of teeth became exposed. The tentacle suddenly popped the man inside, slamming the jaggy canyon shut. Link's gorge rose, and Zelda clamped a hand over her mouth. A single cry pierced the air, coming from a panicked sailor:

"_KRAKEN!!!_"

At once the men started arming themselves with spear and harpoons. Worran's voice cut through the air like glass.

"AIM FOR THE EYES, YA SEA-SPONGES, OR YE'LL BE USING YOU'RE GUTS FOR PILLOWS!! ANY EXPLOSIVES?!?!"

"LINK, THAT'S YOUR DEPARTMENT!!" Bellowed Impa.

"I CAN'T THROW THEM THAT FAR!!" Cried Link. At once, Kesta raced along the deck, grabbed the bomb that Link was holding, tossed it into the air and mouthed some odd incantation. A gust of wind formed and the falling bomb flew at the kraken. The aim was true, and it was direct hit on the eye. The kraken roared in pain, and lashed out. Two sailors were pulled off the vessel and into the obsidian seas. Three more were injured with broken limbs but fought on. Worran was bellowing orders and encouragement as he desperately tried to manoeuvre away. Link was busy tossing bombs into Kesta jet of wind, trying to hit the remaining eyes. Zelda was hitting the kraken with small ball of light, flowing one after the other. Cloud was summoning almighty bolts of thunder from the heavens, which had turned a deep grey. The remaining Smashers armed themselves with spears and harpoons. A tentacle arched over Cloud's head and pulled another luck sailor away. Cloud reacted quickly and sliced through the tentacle with the Buster Sword. The tentacle quickly fell back into the water. The battle continued long into the afternoon, until eventually, a well placed harpoon by Kirby into the last eye of the kraken sent out an ear-splitting bellow. The fin and tentacles slowly disappeared under the waves, earning whoops and shouts of joy from the Smasher's and crew. They were bust congratulating each other when the ship suddenly arched to the right, sending cries of panic through the people. Most of the people on board grabbed a nearby object to stop themselves from falling into the ocean, but Kesta was too slow and began to roll backwards into the cruel seas.

"SHII-II-TT!" He screamed as he fell into the waters where a monster lurked. The tilt abruptly halted. Everyone rushed to the starboard side to see what had happened. There was nothing for a moment, then Kesta's black hair pierced the surface. A deep gasp left him, and he began to swim to the ship. For a moment the crew hoped he would be able to make it, then, to everyone's horror, the familiar black and purple fin silently crept up behind him thirty meters away. Kesta followed their gazes, looked behind him, only to find a myriad of teeth, all arranged in rectangular rows, baring at him.

"Oh bugger." He turned round, and began to swim frantically as the kraken began to suck water through its rectangular mouth. Kesta dropped towards it at an alarming rate, and when Mario frantically reached for a telescope, he saw Kesta wasn't even trying to swim away. He gave an OK sign with his hands, a split second after that the jaws of the kraken slammed shut. The leviathan gave a screech of triumph, then began to swim away, its fin still above the water. Mario screamed to Worran:

"TURN THIS JUNK HEAP AROUND AND GET A- AFTER IT!!" Worran called back:

"Sorry, but your friend is long dead." Mario was stunned, then nodded, accepting the inevitable. But a bellow of pain interrupted him. He wheeled round wildly, only to see the kraken bellowing and waving its tentacles desperately. It gave one last roar of pain, then swelled up and erupted in a deafening explosion. Green slime flew through the air, as well as a rubbery mass. Before the crew had time to wonder what had just occurred, a small figure detached itself from the horizon. The figure neared then boat, then wavered and resolved into Kesta, screaming and laughing at the same time. He landed with an _oomph! _and a splat in from of the open-mouthed crew. Picking himself of the ground, he said in a tired voice:

"That was creepy. I'll never let that happen again." The Smashers sighed with relief.

"We thought you were dead!" Mario exclaimed. Kesta waved a hand before stopping in midair, as if he had made a mistake. There, in place of fingers, were long black curved claws. Everyone gaped even more if possible.

"What the…" Link began, but he was cut of by Kesta.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you. I… am a Zapharian." Chills shot up the Smasher's spines, while the sailors looked in confusion.

"Never mind."

"Here's your money back, Link." Link's face lit up with joy as the rupees were poured into his hand. Worran stepped back, proclaiming:

"I don't need the money, now that the kraken's dead. We can trade with Altea again!" He finished with a kind smile. "Now on ye go, ye crowd of misfits! See ya soon maybe's!" The group laughed, then said goodbye and departed, leaving the friendly captain and his crew for the Kingdom of Altea… unaware they were being watch from a cove on the beach. A lone figure stood there, observing the Smashers as they wandered away.

"Now they are here, things are going to heat up. About time to!" The figure smirked.

"Marth, my old friend… your day is coming." He began to laugh insanely, his outbursts echoing round the walls, even as he disappeared.

**There ye are Kenrai. It's all yours!**


	11. Reunion

**Chapter 11- Reunion**

**Theme- Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park.**

**Altea**

It was been several hours after the Kraken incident. The Smashers were all weary, footsore, and covered in slime due to Kesta's trick. Once they had made landfall, he had tossed the other gauntlet away, saying:

"Well, there's no point in keeping the other, is there?" Once the metal glove had been thrown away, it had revealed a similar black-scaled, black clawed hand. The appearance of the newly-admitted Zapharian had relaxed somewhat, as if he was relieved to have revealed his secret. The lack of conversation prompted Zelda to ask:

"So how did you learn magic? And what are your limits?" Kesta turned, and Mario's ears pricked up immediately to hear his answer. Kesta's answer was slow and deliberate:

"Even I don't know my own abilities. As for how I learned magic… I was tutored by my village elder, then by someone else."

"Who was he?" She inquired further.

"That's one fact I'll keep to myself. Suffice to say it was a remote area and from a very good, if impatient, teacher." From the look on her face, Mario knew that Zelda wanted to question him, but left it at that. Mario thought to himself:

_It's been a while since any agent's of this 'Miazma' have showed up. I get the feeling something bad is going to happen, and why can't I shake the feeling we're being watched?_

"Of course your being watched, you fool."

The silhouette of a caped, red-haired figure on the horizon stood impassively on a hilltop, a miles to the north-east of the Smashers position. The spectre of the man twirled a strange but beautiful sword and glared the travelling group with hate.

"Oh, my lord god… thank you for giving me a second chance. Now I can achieve my goal. I will return and rebuild my Elibe. I shall rebuild my fallen kingdom, and finally eradicate Altea forever! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!" And with that, he about-turned, and disappeared from view.

Mario stared at the setting sun, pondering about Luigi. He had glumly realized, with heavy guilt, that it had been weeks since he had thought about his brother. His eyes rolled about, pondering where his brother actually was. _Altea is filled with dotted villages, so I'm bound to find at least one person who has seen him, or knows where- _he pulled out the photo he received from Luigi's letter from his overall pocket and stared at the castle featured in it_- this is. I certainly don't, and I'm sure that the rest of the group don't. _Behind him, he was acutely aware of the gaggle of chatter behind him. _Whatever the outcome, I just want to see my brother again._ He shrugged, and began to tuck the photograph back into his overall pocket, when he stopped, paralyzed by what he saw.

The photograph of the castle, which was standing still mere seconds ago, was moving. Rain was falling in great sheets, and sporadic mile-high bolts of lightning arched from the heavens. Mortal fear and shock gripped Mario. He stood a statue, watching the- he was sure- trickery that was unfolding before his very eyes. Behind the clapping of thunder and the flashes of lightning, he could hear screaming and moaning and, if he strained his ears, an organ playing, as well as the roars of an unheard beast. Sweat rolled off Mario's head in miniature waves, and the picture shook in his grip. Suddenly paranoia gripped him as well because, right in front of him, a huge figure appeared in between flashes. It blocked out the palace with its monstrous size. Its giant head swivelled sharply, as if spotting someone. It took a long moment for Mario to realize the creature, whatever it was, was staring at him. In his mind he heard great, sickening laughter, and a harsh, cruel voice rumbled:

_Do you fear death and the dark?_ It felt fiery and untamed, like that of an animal. Paralyzed with fear, Mario remained motionless. Another lightning strike illuminated the picture. When the flashing stopped, the figure was closer. It now blocked out half of the photograph with its sheer size. The laughing in Mario's head grew louder, and the voice repeated:

_Do you fear death and the dark? _Deciding quickly, he shook his head and replied with his mind, _No. I fear neither death nor the dark. _At once the laughing ceased, and all other sound seemed to die with it. The figure flew closer, towards Mario's position outside the photo. A roar shook around the caverns of Mario's head, and the apparition opened its maw, intending to swallow him…

Screaming in terror, Mario slammed the photograph into the mud, ignoring what the confused babble of the other Smashers. Breathing hard and trying to steady his shaking hands, he carefully removed the picture from its muddy seat. Wiping the muck off with his gloved hand, the plumber examined the photograph again. Astonishment and relief crashed over Mario like an unstoppable wind. The picture had resolved its normal appearance although, when Mario observed closer, a figure with huge bat-like wings floated in mid-air at the top left-hand corner. Still shaking, he slipped the photograph back into his overall pocket, greatly disturbed at what had happened. Finally he managed to control his violent jerking and, once he did, he let out a deep sigh of self-control. Suddenly a clawed hand gripped his shoulder. Both out of instinct and surprise, he jumped back, twisting while doing so to gain a glimpse of his guest. He dropped his arms in relief when he saw the puzzled face of Kesta, who crossed his arms and said:

"Why the scream-show, Mario? You look as though you've seen a ghost." Finally erasing any last vestiges of terror, he took a deep breath and replied:

"I… I'm OK. I just need some time by the fire." Kesta gestured at the crackling embers.

"Then help yourself." The duo walked back to the Smashers, who were anxiously waiting at the small smokeless flame, staring at him with probing eyes. Uncomfortably, Mario sat down, sure that everyone would ask him what his sudden outburst was all about. And sure enough, Zelda asked, her musical voice coloured with worry:

"What happened?" The Smashers still forms lean forward, as if to catch his answer. After stopping and starting twice, Mario reverted to simply saying:

"I don't really want to talk about it." Disappointment seemed to emit from the group in great waves. An abnormal silence descended on the team like a heavy blanket, which was broken only when Kesta got up and began to saunter away from the group.

"Where are you going?" Yoshi asked, suspicion evident in his voice. Kesta stopped dead, his tapered ears more prominent in the flickering flame, before replying casually:

"To recover." He resumed pacing, before scrambling up a nearby tree. He was gone in seconds, disappearing into the leaves.

"Why are you…" began Mario, but the words died in his mouth when the reply came:

"It makes me feel more comfortable… let's leave if at that." There was silence for a few moments, before Kesta's clawed hand broke free of the leafy haze, stabbing the glaive he carried through the tree with savage strength. The scaled hand disappeared up through the leaves, and the camp fell silent. How long they sat in silence no-one knew. No wind blew in the air, nor did the moon seem to move. Eventually, one by one, they rolled onto their backs and fell into slumber, even Cloud. No-one was able to stay awake because of the physical exertions over the past few weeks. Mario was the last to fall asleep, and as he closed his eyes he thought he saw a shadow on the outskirts of camp fire…

_He awoke in a thicket of trees. He warily looked left, right and centre, before getting warily to his feet. An abnormal silence reigned for uncounted moments as Mario stood still, only to have it shattered by voices in the distance. He stumbled forward, only to crouch down when the trees parted to reveal a clearing, with two figures as its occupants, one hooded and the other with a spiked black helm. The voices were angry, and much of their conversation Mario could not here, but he managed to make out:_

"… _you had better not screw this up for me. I have worked these past five years getting this far and now I can and it all in one glorious blaze. Got that?" Those words were said by the hooded person, those voice was simmering with anger and yet still cool and haughty._

"_Yeah of course I have it. And nice to see you to." Those words came from the helmed man. His voice was sarcastic and suave. The hooded man, judging by his voice, gave a snort:_

"_I don't give a damn about you, Hylians or any of this. As far as I'm concerned, you can all go to hell and die."_

"_Well, that's a nice way to greet me. I haven't seen you in years. And no offence, but I recognize a depression problem when I see one." The sheer speed at which the hooded person grabbed the helmed man was astounding. With strength beyond men, he hauled him by the collar of his leather-backed mail and slammed his back against a tree._

"_And what would you have me do? I am this close," the figure made a motion with his hidden hands, "to achieving my goal! Do not try the fact that because we are related that excuse will stop me from killing you!" Silence reigned for a short while, before the helmed man grunted:_

"_Fine, I'll keep quiet. Just don't count on me to save you if you are rumbled." Slowly, the hooded man lowered the other person to the ground, before replying sourly:_

"_I'm leaving. If I'm away for any longer, they'll start asking questions." The man pushed past the helmed man before halting at the edge of the clearing, a few feet from Mario's hiding place, as the other man queried:_

"_Are you surprised?" The hooded man gave a short humourless laugh before falling into the tangled trees, saying as he done so:_

"_Not really." There was a flash of light, and all faded to black._

Mario awoke, only to find himself shivering uncontrollably because of the biting cold. He cringed as his eyes adjusted to the light, then swivelled his head to see if any other of the Smashers were awake. To his surprise, none of the others, so far as he could see, were awake. Cautiously, he got to his feet, dusted himself off, then went around the camp, waking all the Smashers systematically. Link proved to be the last victim, and by far the most humorous. His arms wrapped around a nearby rock he murmured in his sleep:

"Of course I love you, my fair, majestic hat… I love you more than the pies themselves! Oh, you're offering me some? Well, I guess I could manage a few…" He began to gnaw on the rock, covering it with drool. Suddenly his face transformed into one of horror.

"No! Stop! Give me back my hat and my pies, you foul Cucco! Do not take my loves from me!" The Smashers, even Cloud, had to struggle to refrain from bursting out laughing. Just as Mario reached down to jab Link in the chest to awaken from a surely horrific nightmare, Link shot bolt upright, screaming:

"NOT THE CUCCO!" Before anyone realized what had happened, Mario was lying on the floor, holding his face, stunned. Link grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry. That always happens when I dream about Cucco's." He offered a hand to Mario, which he accepted thankfully.

"No harm done."

With that done, they left the smouldering remains of the camp fire behind, and wandered, half-lost and half sure, deeper into the unfamiliar terrain of Altea.

"There it is." Said Impa with a triumphant smile, while most of the other Smashers stared at it, pondering what to make of it. They were at the bottom of a deep gorge, three kilometres wide and how many meters high no-one could say. It was cut and naturally shaped. Along it's left and right sides ran a vast range of mountains.

"The Valley of Winds…" she murmured, although who to no-one could quite tell. "The gateway to populated Altea."

The Smashers sat there, taking in the breathtaking landscape, when all of a sudden, the wind began to howl. It picked up in speed and ferocity until the Smashers actually began to slide backwards. Yoshi suddenly flew upwards, and with a wild cry, was blown backwards by the force of wind. Somehow raising his voice over the ghastly moaning, Link yelled:

"How can a storm-" he rocked as another blast of wind rocked him to and fro- "pick up this fast?!" It was Impa who answered him.

"Now you know why it is named the Valley of Winds! When strong gales occur, the wind whistles through the gap in these mountains, making the winds stronger than normal!" She gripped Zelda tighter, in order to stop her from being blown away, the called:

"Mario! We can't get through this gale! We have to turn back!" Mario only vaguely heard her voice, but did not want to turn back. Before he could make a decision, a third voice cut through the air.

"Call everyone back, Mario! I'll transport us all to the other side of these mountains!" Mario wheeled round, only to see Kesta, fighting the winds powerful currant, his black hair and cloak whipping about with minds of their own. Mario stared at him for a moment, before nodding and screaming:

"Pull back everyone! Pull back!"

At once most of the Smashers turned and began to stumble back, somehow no being blown of their feet. Once the group had gathered, Kesta pointed with a single black claw. At once the familiar black and red portal open, and the Smashers, one by one, filed towards it and disappeared, until only Mario and Kesta were left. He gestured at the swirling portal saying:

"After you."

Stepping out of the swirling light, Mario saw the Smashers had reassembled a couple of yards away. Merely nodding at their staring faces, he positioned himself beside a stoic Cloud. Several moments back before Kesta appeared, literally throwing himself through the sifting portal. Without waiting another second, he got to his feet, spread out both and the portal disappeared in a flash of blue light.

"What happened?" Asked Link as the clawer Zapharian hurried towards the group without a sound. Kesta's reply was short and curt.

"Amphridites. I tried to keep them away… I hope that closing the portal will delay them." Everyone stiffened at the mere mention of the chittering monsters.

"How many?" Inquired Cloud. Kesta shook his head vigorously.

"I couldn't tell… but my guess is about ten to twenty-five thousand." A cold pit formed in Mario's stomach. _Ten thousand! That's enough to wipe us out for sure._ Not waiting for discussion, he marched to the forefront of the congregation and proclaimed:

"Well, let's a- try to get as much distance as covered as possible. Hopefully before the sun sets we'll find a village." Everyone hastily agreed to the simple plan, and turned to march off, Mario leading the rabble. Suddenly a blast of hot pain exploded behind his eyes. The wave was so unexpected and so intense, he let out a scream, which soon turned coarse. He could not turn his head, but he heard similar wails from the other Smashers. Behind his eyes, he heard men screaming, weapons clashing against each other. A myriad of voices assaulted his head, rapidly coming one after the other, saying things like:

"_Traitor!" _

"_You were on our side!"_

"_Stop!"_

He fell to the ground, his hands clutching his head. His head hit the grass, and he could see Cloud and Kesta shouting. However, their words were lost to him as the last phrase boomed around his skull, in a thick, anger-filled voice saying:

"_I will deal with you personally, traitor!"_

Whatever else happened was lost, as he closed his eyes and toppled in to oblivion.

The first sound Mario had heard was the crackling. Even though he was not awake, he could not get rid of the irritating sound. He wanted to fall asleep and forget the fact that his head had felt like it had been pierced by a sword. And suddenly- surpassing his wish- he opened his eyes. His reaction was curiosity: what had just happened? Blinking a few times, he pushed himself of the ground, and sat on his haunches. He quickly scanned his surroundings: many of the Smashers were ringed around a fire, the splashing of a river nearby and, to his surprise, the veil of stars that covered the sky. He groaned and rubbed his head, then jumped as Link's voice came beside him.

"You're finally awake. I was beginning to think you would never." Mario let out a deep breath as Link sat beside him. Voicing his thoughts, he said in a raspy voice:

"What happened?" Link was silent for a moment, before he said heavily:

"I don't myself. You had some sort of… fit. As you fell to the ground, we all began to experience what you did: a headache and creepy voices in our heads." Mario was silent, trying to puzzle out what had happened. When no solution came to mind, he asked:

"How come Cloud and Kesta were fine?" Link shrugged.

"Don't know. I think it's because Cloud isn't from this world." Mario nodded, remembering Cloud's revelation at the Flat Zone. "As for him…" Link emphasised Kesta as 'him'.

"I have no idea. But I don't think he is any normal person, even among the Zapharians." Mario gave the topic some thought, before asking:

"Where are the others? Most of the group are gone."

"Yoshi and Kirby are down there aways," Link pointed behind him with his thumb. "Zelda went for a walk, Impa going with her, and myself, Cloud and Kesta are here." Silence enveloped the duo, until Mario got to his feet, swaying a bit because of dizziness.

"Where are you going?" Link inquired, remaining seated. Mario turned around saying in an even voice:

"I'm going to get some answers." He left Link behind and walked to the glowing fire, which acted like a beacon in the barren, dark landscape. He sat on the parched grass, nodding silently at the two warriors. Silence reigned once again, until Mario finally voiced his question:

"How did you get to this world, Cloud?"

"What makes you think that it concerns you?" Cloud replied, though not unkindly. Mario racked his brain for a way to answer, eventually trusting himself to say:

"Nothing really. But I would still like to know. I trust you with my life, as I do with everybody else. But I can't ignore anything- or anybody- that may endanger our lives." Cloud gave a satisfied expression, before replying:

"A good answer… very well." Mario leaned closer as Cloud began to recite how he had came to this world.

"I… I never intended to come to this world. After I travelled around for a while with Link, I never knew whether or not I could get back. I found some sort of man-sized portal, and I trusted it enough to walk through it." He clasped his hands.

"I found myself in my familiar world, and lived there until two months ago. It came so suddenly: a huge a purple and red portal with a bright light in the centre appeared on the horizon, swiftly sucking up tons of rocks, buildings, animals and people."

_The Pit!_

"The fragmented history of my world said that a storm like this had come once before, in the Deep Past, when our world was young… they called it the Void. Some even believed that the dead went there to rest. All my friends were sucked into its depths… as we're my enemies. When I finally came to, I was in a place called Toadstool Town. A couple took me in, and I spent the time planning how to search for my friends. Then the town was attacked by that thing and then I saved you and Yoshi… I have no more secrets."

Mario considered the value of telling Cloud that the Pit- or Void, as he called it- was used, and possibly created, by Master Hand as a prison.

_No,_ he finally concluded. _He'll find out himself. And now for Kesta._ Taking his gaze off of Cloud, who was mournfully staring at the ground, he fixed it on the still and silent Kesta.

"I have a question for you, Kesta." The black-haired Zapharian looked at Mario with interest.

"Then go ahead." Wondering if he would be ridiculed for saying what he was about to say, he proclaimed:

"It's been about a fortnight since you joined us, and you haven't ate or drank anything in hat a- time." A strange gleam leapt into Kesta's eyes. "Why?" It was a while before Kesta answered, before he said evenly:

"I have been starved worse than this, and I eat foods that you can't provide with a mere whim."

"And what is that food?" Mario pressed. However, just as Kesta opened his mouth, a horrifying scream ripped out of the shadows, banishing the tranquillity. The scream lulled, then returned in heightened volume. By now, all the Smashers had bunched together, with weapons already drawn.

"What the hell is that?!" Kirby said, wielding his hammer. Before anyone else could discuss what was happening, a shadow was sighted just outside the camp fire's light. The shadow wavered, then resolved into the shape of Impa. She stopped before the Smashers and addressed them shortly.

"You had better come quickly." They all rushed after Impa, who had taken of into the night again. Eventually, they came to a curve in the river, which then turned into a blanket of emerald trees and ran through the base of the mountain, of which there were little left. It was in that place that beheld the hysterical Zelda. Impa patted her on the shoulder and took the sobbing princess away. Then the Smashers saw what Zelda was weeping about.

A corpse lay before them, its ruined face set in an expression of fear. The chest was bare, and chunks of flesh were bitten out of the mans –as best as Mario could tell- chest. The right side of the unfortunate humans face was covered in blood, the left being completely stripped of any flesh. Blood soaked the body, and the churned-up ground was stained with it. The Smashers, even Cloud, stared with horror at the mans fate. Their eyes remained transfixed on the terrible sight before them.

It was Cloud who stirred first. Pushing past the Smashers, he shouldered the corpse, and began to haul it away into the trees. Around a half-hour later, Cloud returned with a grim expression, minus one hacked up corpse. He refused to say where he had dumped it, nor did anybody feel like asking. Mario stood in front of the crowd once Cloud had rejoined and said:

"Well, there's no point in-" He suddenly heard something. Cutting his speech to an abrupt halt, he scanned the night, wondering what that faint chattering noise was. It suddenly grew louder. By now everyone of the Smashers were looking left then right. Suddenly an explosion of scurrying, cursing and steel against claw was heard directly behind them. The Smashers wheeled around wildly, only to see Impa and Kesta slashing the night. A single cry echoed from Kesta:

"AMPHRIDITES!" The Smashers rushed to their friend's aid, encircling Zelda to protect her from the tidal wave of enemies. Mario found himself in between Kesta and Cloud as the monsters ringed around them. To Kesta he said worryingly:

"Know any spells?" Kesta turned and grinned.

"A number, but where's the fun in that?" Mario groaned.

"If there's one more we're in trouble." Cloud commented sarcastically.

Just as the Amphridites began to charge, a few dozen at the rear collapsed with otherworldly howls, arrows lodged in their backs. More began collapsing, letting of howls and minor explosions of as they did. As the Amphridites turned to face their unseen foes, two figures, one cloaked and one helmed, pierced the shadows and began slaying the creatures in their trios. The Smashers took the boost of help and began slashing and destroying the foes around them. In less than ten minutes, then entire horde was destroyed, and torches sprung to life, showing that their was a rabble of some-hundred mailed men, most locking bows on the Smashers. The two figures at the front sheathed their blades, then advanced on the Smashers. The cloaked one pulled back his hood to expose a sea of blue hair, a blue tunic and pants, and a fine-looking sword from a hoop at his belt.

"Marth!" exclaimed Mario. "Good to see you! Your timing was excellent!" The Smashers began shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with Marth's 'army.' The helmed man pulled of his black spiked helm and said in a suave, flamboyant voice:

"A welcoming committee! How thoughtful!" His hair has pure white, and he wore a black leather shirt over a suit of mail. Two thin slightly curved blades sat in brown sheaths on his hips. Most disturbing, were his eyes: deep red and full of charisma.

"Be quiet, Kvarasack!" Marth scolded. "You are in the presence of royalty!" The man now known as Kvarasack turned to Marth and replied:

"Oh really? Who is it?" Impa stood aside, letting Kvararack's red eyes fall on Zelda. He stared at her for a moment, before throwing himself to the ground and praying. Zelda stared at him, confused.

"Um… what are you doing?" Immediately, he got up and said:

"Was just praying for the Gods or Goddesses to let this world keep a missing angel." Around the army men began to snicker at the obvious, though misguided, come-on. Nevertheless, Zelda awkwardly stared at the man.

"Thank you." Mirth bubbled in Mario, but he surpassed it and said:

"What has happened Marth?" The prince gave a weary sigh before explaining the situation: a few months ago, Amphridites began to pour into Altea. Many of the cities, once proud and built with the purest marble, were now in ruins, with only a few villages and towns remaining.

"… so that's that. If you need a place to stay and recover, there is a village not far from here where we are on our way. Do you want to come with us?" The Smashers nodded vigorously, and were about to set off, until Yoshi sniffed the air.

"What's wrong?" asked Mario. Yoshi sniffed a few more times, before saying uneasily:

"I smell burning. You have better go tell Marth." Mario nodded, and rejoined the other Smashers, who were sitting with Marth. He had just finished telling Marth about what had happened, when a thunderous explosion was heard.

"Everybody move!" Marth hollered. "Kuíkahn Village is under attack!" the Smashers sprinted on ahead, rounded the last bit of mountain- and saw that the village was in a cyclone of white flames. The Smashers faltered, then charged into the flames. Fighting the fire and the fierce heat, they arrived in the stone town square. And there, laughing with maniacal delight, was Spinta.

"SPINTA!" Mario screamed above the crackling flames. Spinta went rigid, then turned around. Any delight on his face turned to seething rage as he bellowed:

"Ya caught me in a good mood last time! Now I'm not feelin' so charitable!" The Smashers readied themselves to fight, until Spinta gave an evil cackle.

"However, A' think it'll be more entertainin' to watch the new boy fight ye!" And he vanished in a flash of blue light. The Smashers stared, then relaxed. Marth ran up to them, calling:

"What happened? Did you get him?" But the answer was cut of a by portal of purple energy appearing. A figure about Marth's size stepped out. He had flaming red hair, a red cloak and blue armour. A pair of small horns grew under his hair, a golden-hilted sword hung at his waist. He glared at the Smashers.

"R…Roy?!" Link spluttered. "B-But how-" He was cut of as Marth walked towards him, a smile on his face.

"Good to see you again, R-" the sentence halted as Roy drew his sword and slashed, aiming for Marth's neck. Marth gripped his blade and flung it up, blocking the blow in a burst of sparks. Marth looked astonished.

"Roy! Don't you remember me?"

"I know you! You are the scum who destroyed my home! You and your accomplices will die!" He leaped backwards, then slashed at Marth's waist. The blow was deflected, and Roy began raining a score of rage-fuelled blows on Marth, who barely managed to block them all. Roy leaped over Marth's head, intending to stab him in the back. Marth spun around, stabbed at Roy's face, sidestepping Roy's attack. It merely cut Roy, but the cut made him angrier. He slashed up, down, up, down and slashed at the flat of Marth's blade, sending it spinning out of reach. He attempted to flick the Sword of Seals at Marth's throat, but Marth gave a kick to the blade, which knocked it out of Roy's grip. He then followed up with a kick to Roy's face, sending him spinning away. Even though he had no blade, Roy lunged at Marth, swinging a punch at the blue-haired prince. It hit Marth on the cheek, sending him back a way aways. As Roy lunged at him again, Marth gave him a kick to the shin, tripping him up. Luckily for Marth, Falchion was right beside him. He picked it up and aimed a horizontal strike at Roy's neck. The blow was defected as the Sword of Seals zoomed towards Roy's outstretched hand. The two blade began grating at each other, sparks flying in all directions.

"You… will not defeat me! Not with the power Miazma has given me!" Roy growled. Mario instantly began to yell after hearing the name 'Miazma':

"Roy, stop! Miazma is filling your head with lies!"

"No!" Roy yelled as Falchion inched closer to his neck. Suddenly the same purple portal appeared in the ground, and he slid though it without a sound. Marth stared at the ground in disbelief. His friend had just sided with the enemy and tried to kill him!

"Why…" he whispered amongst the shouts and flames. "Why?"

**WOOOHOOOO! AFTER A LONG WAIT IT'S FINALLY UP!! PARTY!!! **

**This chapter is dedicated to Grandpa Carlton, who died this Wednesday in 1995. God bless.**


	12. Deceit

**Chapter 12- Deceit**

**Sorry this chapter took so long to crank out, but problems happened. Easter called, I had to overcome Mt. Writer's Block to do this and I have been feeling sick these past few weeks. Also, Final Fantasy 12 has occupied me a lot. But anyhow… TO THE FICMOBLE! Batman theme plays**

"HOW DARE YOU!!!" Miazma screamed at the two figures before him. One was the Vespertillio Spinta, and the other was the flame-haired prince Roy. The black torches that adorned the onyx pillars of the barren hall flickered melochanicaly, giving the impression of an empty tomb. Miazma, still garbed in the black ceremonial robe, was pacing up and down beside his black throne, his breathing erratic because of his boundless anger. His red eyes locked into the two grimacing figures eyes, screeching:

"HOW DARE YOU DEFY ME!?! ME, THE LORD OF THE DARK ABYSS!!!" He raised his gloved hand and a shaft of crackling dark energy sprang from his outstretched hand, which raced toward two figures, who leapt out of the way and fell to the stone floor. Both prince and Vespertillio rose to their feet, then looked behind themselves to see a yawning cleft in the wall, a few feet away from the stone doors that lead to the throne room they were currently standing in. Recovering his voice, Roy stated:

"With all due respect my Lord, Spinta was on hand to help me at any given time, so technically, he should be the one who is punished." Spinta shot the Pherean prince an angry glance, then refocused his gaze on the ranting Miazma. The dark figure paused again, before reaching out with his gloved hand again. However, instead of loosing another blast of energy in the two fighter's midst, the mighty stone doors that lead to the throne room swung inward with a mighty _crash. _Spider-webbed cracks laced up the fine stone, ruining the handiwork.

"GO!! AND DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME AGAIN!!" Miazma screeched. With a barely controlled motion, both Spinta and Roy vanished from the throne room, leaving it barren again.

Miazma's temper, however, was not satisfied. He gave a huge, frustrated roar before unleashing an enormous blast of dark energy. When the dust cloud finally settled, all there was left was a ruined mockery of his throne room. With a tired sigh, he waved his hand, and in the span of four seconds the room was back to its original state. Clenching his fists, Miazma admitted to no-one in particular:

"I need to calm down."

**000000000000000000000000000000**

**Kuíkahn Village**

Mario sat on the remains of a rotten log, staring at the stars in the still-night sky. He pondered to himself. The fact that many people had died in Spinta's assault weighed on his consciousness, but he forced himself to ignore it. However, despite himself thinking about the situation for a while now, Mario still could not find where Roy fit into the puzzle.

_He must be another lackey to Miazma, _he thought. That was the only conclusion he could come to. However, the second he partly accepted that idea, another trouble came crashing down on him. _Let's just find Miazma and defeat him, before he manipulates any more of the Smashers into serving him._

"Are you all right?" a voice said softly. Mario lifted his head of his clenched hands and turned to face Link. He let out a weary sigh.

"Yeah… just a- thinking." Link sat beside him. Both of the fighters thought the same thought.

_Only a calm night and the efforts of the survivors save this place… so it was really down to luck that this village is still on the map. And we can't count on luck to save us later on. _

They sat in silence, brooding on their respective thoughts greatly. Deep down, both Link and Mario weren't o keen to leave: they were soaked and worn out, due to the long hours of passing buckets of icy water and helping the bucket brigade put the fires out had extracted a heavy toll. And now, when Marth returned, they would have to leave the safety of numbers to cross through a stretch of (possibly) Amphridite-infested trees… in the dark.

Mario was rarely one to worry, but the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that the Smashers would be in mortal danger if they left the safety of the village before dawn.

"Finally!" Link grunted, sitting upright. Mario followed his gaze, until he saw Marth, Kvarsarak, and a number of travel-stained men, most of whom were grim-faced in the sparse torchlight. Marth stopped short, then said in a tired voice:

"Sorry I took so long, but I have to have a meeting with the key figures of this village." Mario, under the safety of his breath, cursed.

"Why?" demanded Link. "I thought we all agreed to leave once you were done hunting Roy!" A grim expression showed itself on Marth's regal face.

"Apparently, I made a promise that I can't recall giving to leave my troops here for good, including myself." Kvarsarak leaned over to several men and whispered some hidden comment to them. Whatever it was, the men sniggered. "I'll see you later." Marth said, his voice flat. Without a bye-your-leave, he turned on heel and left, the rabble of people following him until they turned a corner and disappeared behind the remnants of a shed.

Link and Mario watched him, half expecting them to come back, but they didn't. Finally Link shrugged stretched himself out comfortably.

"What are you a- doing?" Mario queried. Link sat back, his leather-bound hands placing themselves behind his head.

"Getting comfy. Knowing how undiplomatic Marth can be, we'll be here for a while."

**0000000000000000000000000000 **

_I'm gonna be here for a while, _Marth though sourly. He currently sat a huge rectangular table with a multitude of people around him. Some faces were gaunt, some where unhappy, and many were angry. Marth knew all to well why: because their homes were burned, their children murdered and they blamed it all on the fact that a prince couldn't keep a promise. Everyone was silent: no-one knew what to say.

Suddenly a great bear of a man with matted black hair and a sooty face stood up.

"So what will you do now, O great prince?" His voice was laced with venom and sarcasm. Marth held his head in his hands with one elbow rested on the table.

"Hunt down Spinta, what else?" He replied calmly, not allowing this man's disrespect to colour his temper.

"Have you forgotten your promise already? Or is it that all royals don't care for the…common man?" He pointed out. Marth smiled.

"No, Ukmar. But both myself and Kvarsarak wish to leave, and so we shall." Ukmar's breath exploded angrily.

"Bullshit! You'll stay here, as was our agreement! Or was your father the same snake you are?" Marth could stand the man's cheek no longer. He stood so quickly that his chair toppled back.

"Listen, you insolent peasant! Altea may be destroyed, but I am still your ruler, and I will not be treated like a commoner!" The second Marth's comment left his mouth, an eruption of argy-bargy started, with the villagers screaming and cursing Marth's name, and the generals defending their fallen prince's honour.

An hour later and the verbal fray showed no signs of stopping. Cursing, threats and, on few occasions, apologies were being flung like grain tossed at chickens, and would have continued for much longer with Marth sitting there if Kvarsarak had not motioned for Marth to slip through a back door. Marth swept past him, the villager/army commander argument not even noticing him as Kvarsarak muttered:

"That was a nice friendly debate."

**0000000000000000000000000**

"Goddesses! There you be!" Link said in a sing-song voice when Marth and Kvarsarak came into view. "How was the Great-Leave-Debate?" Kvarsarak gave the onlookers verdict:

"We just left. The debate was very colourful, and the fine points we're interesting… as was the language." Marth gave a wary glance back at the town.

"We'd better leave, before thee villagers hand me my head on a gilded platter." Mario, somewhat amused by Marth forthrightness, replied simply:

"Come then. The others wait for us at the Raízhie Forest. Let's a- go!" Kvarsarak, Marth and Link followed the red-clad plumber to the edge of the ruined town….

…Unaware a figure wearing a black hooded robe was watching them from the nearby trees. Wind rippled behind him, and the trees began to sway, but the ominous figure stayed perfectly balanced.

"Soon…" He murmured. "Soon you will suffer by my hand. You will lose everything… just like I have." And he vanished in a black-and-red flash, leaving the Smashers below none the wiser.

**00000000000000000000000000000**

"Marth, I give up! My feet are killing me, everyone is ready to drop and I feel like we're moving in circles! Do you even KNOW where we are going?"

Mario's voice rang out among the black-heart pines, before an echo of him dropping onto a fallen spruce. Around him, the rest of the Smashers, minus Kvarsarak and Marth, dropped to the forest floor. It had felt like an eon ago since they had slunk away from Kuíkahn Village, and still no dawn had arrived. The world had felt depressing, as if all joy and happiness was gone.

Marth scratched his head puzzlingly, squinting at the brown, weathered map in his hand and replied, his voice under-towed with panic.

"I don't understand it! We've followed the map, and we still haven't come out of these thrice-blasted trees!" His voice trailed off as he ended the sentence. Mario gave an angry gasp.

"So, answer my question!" Marth shuddered, before turning slowly on the Smashers faces;

"No." The trees suddenly exploded with curses and questions, with everybody except Impa asking one thing or another.

Suddenly a rustling in the bushes to the right of the group immediately halted all information-wrangling. All eyes on the moving fig bush, the Smashers, inch by inch, advanced. A sharp, young voice made the Smashers jump back with surprise.

"Watch where you're putting your feet, you airhead!" Another voice sounded, one filled with a noble air and a pompous accent.

"Stop your whining, boy! They are getting closer!" The Smashers hesitated, then ran forward and dived into the small bush, squashing whatever talking life-form that was under them.

"Ow! Get of us, you-" the young voice began, but he was cut off, before he said;

"Link?!" Link's mind clicked. He knew that voice.

"Gohan! Good to see you!" With his hands, he shooed the other Smashers off the two bodies underneath, allowing them to stand once more. One was a boy a year or so under Link age, who wore a one-piece purple tunic bound with a red belt. His hair was spiky black to the point of being night.

The other was a male around Marth's height and age, with similar spiky black hair and a pompous, arrogant air around him. A stupid smile was on his face, the one that needs a good fist in the teeth. He wore white armoured boots and a navy-coloured one-piece tunic, bound with a golden belt.

"And you to, Vegeta!" Link proclaimed, grinning broadly. Vegeta's arrogant expression became mixed; contempt and respect in equal measures welded together. The formalities were then stated, and the now-bigger group were about to resume their hopeless journey, until an orange-tuniced man with the same spiky black hair as Vegeta came crashing through the undergrowth.

"Wait for meeee!" He wailed, barely able to walk. The young man's stomach was on the point of bursting.

"Kakarot! Where have you been?" Vegeta inquired in an overly-loud and arrogant voice. The now-introduced Kakarot grinned sheepishly, before saying in a cheery voice;

"I was hungry! I was starving to death on the very spot and-" while Kakarot explained his (doubtly false) account of being hungry to Vegeta, who made several dry, sarcastic comments, Gohan walked up to Mario and whispered;

"That's my dad, Goku. He was pulled into this, as well as I, crazy adventure."

"Why are you here, Goku?" inquired Link, answering a niggling question. Goku, finally free of the unstoppable torrent of retorts by Vegeta, said quickly:

"We heard some sort of Dark Lord rose over here, and we were worried you might not be able to handle it, Link."

"Is that the real reason?" There was a sigh from Goku.

"No. Vegeta dragged us all along because he thought it would be good to test his strength against whoever this evil-doer is." After that there was a lull in conversation, until Vegeta drew himself up with a regal air and said:

"Well, now that we are on the subject, I believe I should be leader of this little band." Muttering echoed round the Smashers. Mario remained silent, turning over unknown thoughts. The first objection came not from the Smashers, but from a guest.

"Wow. Who died and left you in charge?" The comment came from Kesta, who began to stride forward, through the throng of Smashers. "Mario's good enough. We don't need a pompous ass like you." Vegeta's eyes flared at the insult.

"And who are you?" Kesta shrugged.

"Oh, no-one. I'm simply a blade-swinging blacksmith, caught up in the grand scheme of events."

"I am the Prince of Saiyans! How dare you defy me!?"

"I've been defying royalty from the day I was born, your _Majesty._" Kesta then bowed, but the move was insolent and fight-provoking. When his head rose, Vegeta's fist smashed into Kesta's face. The Zapharian flew backwards, before launching himself forward with, Mario thought, inhumane speed. He grabbed the prince's throat and hurled him back, shattering a tree with the stunned prince. Before they could charge at each other again, a shimmering barrier sprung up in front of them, repelling them and sending them flying back. Kesta simply stood up, whereas Vegeta roared like a bear and threw huge chains of punches and kicks at the field, but it held firm.

"That is enough!" Zelda's musical voice said firmly inside the two fighters minds. "Now, you will go of in opposite directions to cool of, or I'll take more drastic measures."

Both fighters stared at each other with outright disdain, before both head of into the dark conifers. Kesta threw his glaive at three young saplings, neatly slicing through them before burying itself halfway through a fourth. He yanked it out with a _crack _of splintered wood, then stalked away, cursing under his breath. Vegeta was the same, except his curses were a bit mellower than the blacksmiths. The Smashers watched the dark gate of trees which the fighters had disappeared through, before Kvarsarak said cheerfully and sarcastically;

"Well! Good to see they got along, eh?"

**000000000000000000000**

"He still hasn't come back yet." Mario said lazily, his head resting against a spruce for comfort. It had been an hour since the minor disagreement between Vegeta and Kesta. The hardy Saiyan prince has since returned, seemingly in control of his temper. But the Zapharian blacksmith still hadn't returned, and worry was beginning to grow. Mario heard a shuffling of feet beside him, and was astonished to find Yoshi standing.

"I'll go find him." And he bounded of before Mario could ask why, given his earlier animosity.

_Oh well, good luck to him._

**000000000000000000000000**

Yoshi tumbled through the dark undergrowth, calling for Kesta to return. He may not be human, but his eyes had more advantage in the dark than humans did.

"Come on, Kráaven! Answer me!" A root caught his red-shoed foot, and he fell, bashing his large green nose.

_Blast it, _he growled, but then stopped. In the darkness, he saw a stooped figure leaning over what looked like a small boulder. Curious, he kept his crouched position, and wriggled forward behind a shrub, gaining a closer look.

What he saw shocked and revolted him.

A black-robed figure, bent over a dead body, was stripping flesh of the corpse. The chest was bare to the bone, and the organs, such as the heart and the liver, were gone. One arm had been forcibly torn off and now lay across the clearing. The legs were still intact, although not an inch wasn't dyed crimson because of the blood.

The creature paused, then sniffed the air, blood dripping from the hood. Without warning it bit down on the neck. Bone cracked as the razor teeth bit down harder, and with a savage jerk the head was actually _torn _off the body.

The monster held the severed head in his claws, then flung it at the very shrub Yoshi was lying in. The head rolled only an inch or two away from Yoshi's face, its face set in an agonized scream. Yoshi felt his heart jump into his throat. Yoshi was on the brink of breaking cover and screaming in terror. But before he could, the corpse. Bones cracking was audible and Yoshi almost vomited at the sight.

Then the creature sprouted wings, and was about to fly away. But the hold fell backwards, to reveal a set of pointed ears and a queue or black hair. Yoshi's blood froze.

_I knew it! It was-_ But before he could finish his thought, the monster flew away with a demonic shriek.

_I have to warn the others, _he thought, before fleeing from the shrub, racing against the demon that may or may not slaughter his friends.

**00000000000000000000000000000**

"… So that's it?" Mario asked Kesta. The Zapharian smith had returned only moments ago, and had told then why he was late. He had sliced open his leg, and it had taken a bit to heal.

"Yep. Every word is true."

"Oh is it?" A voice called. Every person in the camps head turned, only to see Yoshi quaking like a man faced with an avalanche, a shade less green than usual. A kind of mad fear was in his face, but he was flashing a triumphant grin. "I would very much like to see this cut of yours." Everyone was now facing Kesta, who was staring darkly at the green dinosaur. Still maintaining his penetrating stare, the Zapharian's claw reached down and pulled the leg of his dark pants. No cut was visible.

"Happy?" he growled, his voice becoming positively demonic. "I admit it. I killed and ate a few humans on the way here. Ok?" Mario was about to laugh, when he heard Kesta's inhumane tone. Everything finally came into place; the fight at Toadstool Town, the bodies, and the whispers of a demon… everyone was right. Yoshi was right. And he had been wrong, oh so very wrong.

No-one even looked at the demon in front of them, but everyone had gone deathly pale. Young Gohan had ran from the group, and sounds of wretching we're heard. But just as quickly, all sounds died out, except the hiss of swords as the seemed to fly out of their owners sheaths. In an instant, a thicket of blades surrounded Kesta's person. He glared at each and every one of the Smashers with newly-revealed hate. When his gaze fell on Mario, he murmured;

"Bloody traitor." The remark puzzled Mario, since he had not joined Miazma, but he forced himself to ignore it. But before anyone could surround the hate-filled Zapharian, he barked;

"Gravija!" At once, a titanic force slammed to the Smashers backs, sending them to the forest floor screaming or grunting in pain. Kesta stood by Link who was trying without success to fight the force he felt, even though his back was breaking.

"I knew I should have killed you the second I saw you in Silver City." He spat on Link's face, then wheeled away, his raven hair billowing like a thunder-cloud. He bowed mockingly, and proclaimed;

"Now then, my Lords and Ladies… I take my leave." And he vanished in the familiar web of red-and-black, his magic disappearing over the Smashers the instant he was gone. Everyone stared at the spot where Kesta had disappeared.

Mario broke the silence, screaming;

"GODAMNIT!!"

That single word echoed around the forest, sending the birds to the north with a startled flap.

"Well, what now?"

**Well, it's up. And now I will explain why it took so long: laziness. I have a huge amount of homework now, and between reading the Belgariad series, revising for an exam, playing FF12 and Fahrenheit, watching Dr Who and school, this leaves little time for fic. **

**I have a wedding to go to in a week or two, so, if you're lucky, I'll get the next chappie done faster. But PLEASE, for the sake of mankind, review. I like to know if my work is appreciated.**

**The Devil Deity.**


	13. Dog Hunt Part 1

**The Devil Deity is back, beatch!! jumps and strikes heroic pose, followed by a gunshot Godammit, is this regular?!?**

**DISCLAIMER! WHOO YEAH: I DO NOT OWN THE CITY OF DYING DREAMS, SQUARESOFT/ENIX DOES! OK? Good. :p**

**Chapter 13- Dog Hunt part 1**

Feature Song from Smashers onwards: **Seven Deadly Sins by Flogging Molly.**

**The Dark Abyss**

Miazma's mood was pensive, even melancholic. He had still not heard word from Kráaven, and his quiet war with the Kanto and Johto leagues where going pear-shaped. A breathless messenger, who had arrived only moments before, was droning on about an epidemic of plague that had unleashed itself up the armies he had sent.

_They are doing it again_, he thought sourly. With a peculiar half interest, he cut off the babble of the messenger, saying;

"Very well, I'll see to it. You may return to the front."

"Dreadlord, I-"

"Are you going to argue with me?" Miazma's dead voice was now very icy and, sensing his danger, the messenger very quickly vanished back to where he had come from.

The Lord of the Dark Abyss sat back on his throne, his flinty, red eyes penetrating every stone, every door, everything that lingered around in the haunted cesspool that was The City of Dying Dreams. Rather lazily, he called out,

"OK Kráaven, come out where I can see you." The familiar red-and-black portal announced the arrival of the demi-Zapharian/murderer. Kesta, his black hair weaving intricate patterns in the air, smirked as he sauntered up to his mentor.

"Welcome back, Kráaven." Miazma greeted, his dead voice vibrating through the air. Kráaven bowed, if very slightly.

"Master," he said in a mocking tone, "thank you."

Miazma's crimson eyes narrowed. Ever since he had discovered the half-crazed Zapharian on the streets of Hyrule some five years ago he had taught him, and sheltered him from humanity's hate, yet the lonely blacksmith had never shown him one whit of respect back. Even though his sarcastic demeanour irritated him at times, it had come to amuse him.

"You look good, considering I wasn't here to defend you." Kesta gloated, his egotism reaching the roof. Miazma now had the perfect pin to deflate it.

"I had two Amphridites to defend me. They done a much better job, and didn't make the mess you leave in your… amusement rooms." Kesta grinned.

"If you are so fine, what's wrong with your voice?" Miazma mentally noted that Kesta did not fear the consequences of just about any action he took.

"I had a small disagreement with a certain Pokémon. It got out of hand towards the end, and a nasty trick I know was involved." A quick gesture saw Kesta looking at a man-sized statue of some sort of animal with a huge tail and a wide-eyed look. "A gift from Master Hand," Miazma explained.

Kesta chuckled, then turned to face his mentor and employer.

"What now? You already know about me being discovered, so there's no need for the Smashers to see me again."

"How did they take the truth?"

"Badly. When I told them, half of them vomited." The demon giggled insanely. "The fat one took it like a hammer. He trusted me so much it didn't occur to him to watch the signs. The blob-nosed dinosaur was the discoverer."

"It's the nature of Yoshi's. They are far too suspicious of the unknown." Miazma explained, leaning back on his throne. "Have you heard word from Hrulin, King of the Kohnidites?" Kesta gave a contemptuous snort.

"Yes, but he was half crazed. I tried to explain things were going better than I expected, but talking to him is like talking to a pile of manure. All I had to do was mention your name and he went to pieces, sobbing and babbling incoherently. Hrulin's mind is the worse mind you've came up with; there's nothing there but sand."

"What did he say?" Miazma inquired. Kesta shrugged.

"That he can't defeat the Rangers if you keep hold the reserves."

Impulsively Miazma began to curse under his breath. Things were worse than usual. Johto and Kanto had always been thorns in his side, because the Pokémon had a much finer tune with nature than humans. No matter what he sent, the Rangers simply obliterated army after army.

"I think it is time I paid these pests a visit that is seven-hundred years late." Kesta's eyes went very bright.

"Well, since I haven't got anything to do, I might as well go along." Miazma knew all to well the reason. Kesta had a true hatred of Pokémon, which in his eyes were a sub-demon race, one that was not was not worthy of ones attention, something that those animals constantly demanded.

Miazma suddenly grinned. Now he had the perfect tool to shut the arrogant demon up for a while.

"Oh but there is," Miazma countered. "Which is why you are going to Erassoke." Kesta eyes widened slightly.

"You. Can not. Be serious." Miazma grinned. Now the big-mouthed Zapharian was off guard.

_Perfect._

"I also expect you to return with the Heart of Innocence." Miazma smirked, and Kesta's eyes bulged in horror. He opened his mouth immediately to protest, but Miazma cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"That will be all Kráaven." Kesta's eyes were seething in outrage, and he rigidly bowed, turned and vanished, leaving the Dreadlord rolling in laughter upon his throne, the sounds of his mirth echoing the endless halls of the Dark Abyss. Then suddenly he stopped laughing, his face serious.

_I think its time I found out the true potential of these Smashers. _

He stood up, his eyes blazing as a huge hammer took form before his eyes, wisps of mist and darkness surrounding it. His clawed hand reached forward and grasped it before very quickly swinging it off an iron gong. A single summoning note rung throughout the City of Dying Dreams. At first nothing happened, but slowly out of the dark, a shape began to solidify.

The lighting of the room made it difficult to say as to what the summoned beast was, but it was huge, drooling and intimidating, with two red-rimmed eyes. The monsters entire mind could be read within those boiling chasms; a mindless hatred and overwhelming compulsion to obey the cruel master it served.

"Cerberus…" Miazma said, almost negligently. The monstrosity in front of him straightened with delight, just at being noticed. "…fetch." The Dreadlord finished, an evil grin on his face. The dark creature howled in exultation, before it vanished. Miazma's grin faded as he pondered to himself. A new solution presented itself to him.

_Now the pieces are set to remove those two Zapharians. 'Kain' won't let the Smashers into Erassoke unless they dispose of Cerberus. And when they do, I'll end their lives, and my main problem will be as dust in the wind. _

He through his head back and laughed abominably, his laughter, like the first one, echoing hollowly throughout the vaults of the City of Dying

Dreams.

**The Outer Rim of Raízhie Forest **

Mario was in a surly mood.

It had been several hours after Kráaven's forced confession a few hours ago had struck him like a thunderclap, and ever since then he had sunk into such a black, sullen anger that nobody talked to him, or had even went near him.

He knew the reason for that. Yet his anger and loathing was not directed at his friends. They were directed at himself; had he not been so trusting and/or blind, he could have detained the crazed demon, and wrung information on Miazma and the Amphridites. He may have even saved those poor men's lives…

He shuddered back from the thought of that eternal blackness, from the staring faces of the men's wives and children.

_I'm as responsible for this mess as he is…_

Link's voice cut Mario out of his moody thoughts.

"Marth, if we don't find this city you were talking about soon, Zelda is going to have a meltdown. He keeps screaming in my ear about the bugs stuck in her hair, and we are all getting ready to drop. Another day of rambling like a group of blind beggars might kill us."

Without really knowing why, Mario raised his gloved hand, and spoke a single word. A jet off red fire shot from his outstretched palm, burning a hole ten feet wide and ten feet tall straight through the mass of trees before dissipating. The thing that amazed the Smashers was not Mario's action, but the fact that the flame obliterated all in its path, yet didn't set alight the remains of its destruction.

Mario's back was hunched over, his head down, obscuring his face. His hat fell of to reveal his chestnut hair, yet, strangely, he didn't pick it up. Concerned, Link strode to his friends side.

"Mario! Are you-" before he could finish his sentence, Mario's head snapped up, and he gazed coldly at the people he called friends. They all gaped at Mario. But it wasn't the plumber they remembered. For one thing, this Mario's eyes were blood-red, and the fringe of his hair was the same colour. Most fearsome though, was his stare.

It was cold, stony, and filled with an ancient hatred and maliciousness so strange that they could not even grasp the concept it existed. Or they hoped they never would. A slight movement caused the group to flicker their line of vision to the right, and when they were staring back at the plumber, he was back to normal, if advancing outside the forest.

The Smashers gave a small start, before calling on the moving plumber to stop so they could catch up

From the azure sky, Miazma watched the Smashers with detached interest as they began to file out of Raízhie Forest like a pack of zombies. None of them had seen the true light of day for around two days.

These _are the sons of the first Ring? Don't make me laugh, _Miazma thought to himself. _Their leader is as blind as a bat, and the rest of them are as this as Gyrok was. My task has just got easier._

Suddenly a thunderclap sounded in Miazma's mind, and he looked sharply at its source: Mario. The plumber was staring up at the Dreadlord with a grin. Miazma very nearly exploded.

_YOU BLOODY TRAITOR!! _He roared, both in the vaults of his mind and the one of the figure below. Mario's grin went up a notch. He put his fingers to his lips with a sly wink, then strolled off with the rest of the Smashers, leaving the Dark Lord to regain his composure.

"Sorry lady, no people allowed."

That was the endless repetition that the guard of the city of Erassoke to Impa, who was desperately trying to haggle the guard to let them in. Mario sat on a log, half-listening to the argument as he tried to figure out what had happened only twenty minutes before. He looked around, observing the city.

The city's defences were top notch, with solid stone wall twenty feet high, and armoured soldiers in dark blue tunics patrolling ceaselessly. Then he looked to his right, and almost leapt of his log with surprise. The main mountain that Erassoke was situated against was actually a volcano. Smoke billowed from its funnel like a chimney, and a fire-ball quite suddenly launched itself from the volcanoes mouth.

Mario watched as the ball of fire hurled toward the bustling city, getting ready to charge inside to help with the bucket brigade in-case of a fire. But, right before his very eyes, the fire-ball rebounded off of some invisible force, exploding into small fragment that seemed to trickle down what looked like a dome. He ears then picked up the end of Impa's conversation with the guard.

"Let us in. We can help you, and we're not one of these Kohnidites you speak of." The guards face was thoughtful, then he signalled for a messenger. He muttered a few words to the short man, and he literally flew through the opened city gates.

"Mayor Kain will decide whether or not to let you through. I am sorry, but we have lost far too many men to the Dreadlord's servants." One of Impa's white eyebrows shot up.

"Dreadlord?" The guard nodded, his face discreet.

"We captured a Kohnidite, and we learned his master was called the 'Dreadlord Miazma.' It took a great deal torture to get the name and others from him."

The messenger arrived back at the gates, breathless, and muttered to the guard in short ragged gasps. The guards face was grim, and he nodded, dispatching the messenger back to his post. The guard turned to face the weary group.

"Come this way. Mayor Kain has agreed to speak with you. Now is time to face him."

Mayor Kain sat in his chair, churning his thoughts as the Smashers stood before him. He was an odd person, his gaze unreadable. He was quite tall, had a pale complexion and pale blonde hair. A small, neatly trimmed goatee adorned his face. His voice was strange, stuttering and he seemed to twitch irregularly. But his eyes were a mystery; there was something profoundly wrong with them.

"C-can I help you?" He squeaked, peering up at Impa, who towered over the mayor's seated form, grim as death.

"We would like access to your city, Mayor." She responded formally yet respectfully. "We have long been on the road, and have not had comfort in a long while."

A thumping sound suddenly came from the acacia door to the nervous Mayor's left.

"M- my pet cat," he explained quickly, not looking at the grim-set Sheikah, "she's ill, and she r-refuses to take her m-medicine." As if on queue, several shouts of "Get that cat!" and cursing were heard. "As it is, I can't let you into m-my fair city, u-unless-" he bit off the sentence.

"Yes?" Impa pressed, interested at the proposition she was sure the twitching Mayor Kain was about to deliver. With great reluctance, the mayor said:

"For the past few months, a foul beast by the name of C-Cerberus has been terrorizing m-my city. Kill it and I'll l-let you through." Impa considered the proposal. The Smashers were exhausted as it is, and the Cerberus had the upper hand already. However, if they _didn't _kill the Cerberus, they would begin to starve anyway. With food and water running dangerously low, she had one choice;

"Very well. Just point us in the direction." Mayor Kain smiled nervously with relief.

"That g-great! I'll just t-tell someone to show you were it r-resides." Impa bowed, then exited the room and closed the door.

"Well?" Link asked, sitting up. "Did we get in?" Impa shook he head wearily.

"Not unless we kill the Cerberus. Mayor Kain has us in his hand. If we don't comply, we'll starve. If we do, then we might get killed because we're weakened."

"Who cares? Lets just wait for his man outside, kill the damn thing, then me and Goku can eat." And with the, the green-garbed Zapharian


	14. Dog Hunt Part 2

**OK people, The Devil Deity is back from the seemingly dead. **

**If your wandering where I was, I was always here, except one or two factors stopped me from writing.**

**The first was simple; laziness. Since almost no-one reviews, I feel no need to continue a fic that no-one wants to tell me is going well or not.**

**The second is also simple; school and homework, Fire Emblem and World of Warcraft and reading works by Darren Shan and John Connelly kept me busy. **

**But enough of the rambling of a foolish teen, on with the chappie, which I've revamped to a much higher standard, I think.**

**Enjoy any how. **

**Chapter 14; Dog Hunt Part 2**

**Battle theme-** **Caught somewhere in Time** by **Iron Maiden**

------------------------------------

The man accompanying the Smashers to the now-infamous 'Cerberus Mines' was one by the peculiar name of 'Javelin'. He was a tall, wiry man with shoulder-length red hair, high cheekbones and a sober expression. He wore grey steel leggings, a vest of chain mail, also grey, and leather boots that looked a size to big for him. Strangest of all, he wore a cloth headband over his eyes, yet he could see perfectly. A large, cruelly curved blade was strapped to his left wrist, a weapon and shield in one, and a runed sword with a curved cross-guard lay in a leather hoop in his belt.

After a question from Marth, he explained his eyes were extra sensitive to light. It allowed him to see exceptionally well in the dark, but if exposed to light, it would destroy his eye-sight altogether.

Although an interesting newcomer, Mario had his mind on other things. For one, he was to busy hating himself and Kesta, the raven-haired blacksmith who they had once called a friend. It had taken up his thoughts since the enigmatic mans admission. Under the emerald leaves of the Raízhie Forest, the Zapharian had gone from ally to enemy after confessing his cannibalism before easily escaping. For that, Mario hated him. Yet, to his mind, if he had been more alert, he could have perhaps saved the man the insane swordsman had murdered and eaten…

Another of his thoughts lingered on his ever-growing darkness; he felt it now, as if he was sharing his body, mind and will with a strange, malevolent force. For now it was silent, but a certain fear that he would fall to it and be forever in thraldom to his new-found psychological nemesis began to outweigh some of the more pressing issues at hand.

Even though they were all tired, hungry and morale was at its lowest, the Smashers were now trudging into battle against a foe they had never seen nor heard of before. Kain, the timid mayor of Erassoke, had informed then of the cities so-called dire need of help, and had denied them passage into the seemingly impregnable city. And now the Smashers wandered into a battle they would either succeed in…or die.

"How far is the mine, Jav?" asked Kvarsarak cheerfully. The strange, white-haired mercenary was not as affected by weariness or hunger as the rest of the Smashers, and the way he spoke to the newcomer indicated this was not the first time they had met. "I'd rather know when I can get back to the ale tap."

"Not far," replied Javelin vaguely. His voice was quite, yet everyone could hear him perfectly. If this was him whispering, a shout from him might deafen a crowd.

Returning to his turbulent thoughts, Mario gazed at the grass that swiftly passed under his feet. It had been a healthy green, then a darker shade, and finally a brown, crisp lichen, indicating the mine was indeed close.

Temporarily forgetting his darkened consciousness, he began to collect his knowledge of his enemy. An unknown dark being, named Miazma, was terrorizing the many kingdoms of the world, and Kesta Kráaven was apparently a vassal of this mysterious being. The now dead Gyrok and Amphridites, a twisted breed of man and wolfos, too. And that was it. They knew nothing; where Miazma was stationed, what he was after, who he really was…

Funny. Now he thought about it, the trouble began shortly after the letter from the presumed dead Luigi arrived. What if…

Angrily, Mario pushed those thoughts from his head. Luigi was his brother, not a power-crazed evil. It was so absurd he almost laughed aloud. But then again…

Unconscious of what he was doing, Mario pulled the photo of Luigi from his pocket. It had arrived with the letter he had received, and was the only clue to where his brother was.

_All this time and we are still no further to discovering what is happening. A personal quest is now a fight for survival…_

Staring at the photo of the dingy castle it showed, he recalled the vivid memory in Raízhie Forest when it came alive, the lightning flashed, the screams that tore from the dark…

And suddenly a flicker of movement from the photograph caught his eye. The rain, shown as the lightning illuminated it, was moving again. The lightning pulsed, then started flashing. And the figure, whom had only recently appeared in the photo, was moving again, no longer flying in the stagnant air, but walking along a pathway, a hellish grin on his hooded face. The features of said face were invisible beneath the hood, but the face below….

It was almost a dragons face…

The creature paused in mid-step, slowly rotated its head…

And caught sight of the now frightened Mario.

The monster's grin cranked up a notch, then it slowly advanced on the mesmerised plumber. The sound of drums began to reverberate around Mario's head, four quick beats followed by a slight pause. The creatures grin crept up wider. It opened its maw, showing row after row of dagger-like teeth. It continued its inexorable march, its mouth opened wide, intending to swallow him…

And suddenly a gloved hand clamped down on Mario's shoulder.

Had he been anyone else, he would have screamed and ran for the hills. But because of the horrors he had witnessed and shared with his comrades, he adopted a better method of dealing with surprise; he nearly leapt out of his skin, whirled around to confront his attacker…

And was relieved to see the face of Link, the green-garbed Hero of Time; dashing hero, maybe. Brain of Hyrule, no. His face was grave.

"We're here." He said, pointing to a small cavern opening. It was natural rock, although it had been widened by man. It was made of black basalt and was littered with scorch marks and, in several places, bones. The cavern might have been small in entry, yet it loomed like a giant beast, as if beckoning to passers-bye before luring them to their doom.

Mario gave a small shiver. "Sets your spine on edge, doesn't it?

Link gave a small yet weary nod. "I talked with everyone else in the party, and they say the same thing. It's like…" he looked at the cavern with a small shudder, seeing Kvarsarak and Javelin speaking and nodding, before advancing into the cave, melting into the darkness. "It's like a monster, waiting to grab you and drag you down until you fade into the dark."

The two warriors stared at each other, nodded briskly, before heading to the cavern mouth, passing through it after Kvarsarak and Javelin, leaving the rest of the Smashers to follow, letting the darkness consume them.

------------------------------

_Everything I ever done…it was for nothing… _

_I gave all…and gained nothing…_

_You thought I would drop the matter and move on…_

_But my games…_

_Have only just begun…_

------------------------------

"Ouch, you stood on my foot!"

"Sorry."

One of the many mishaps the Smashers were suffering from down in the Cerberus Mines. The cavern was midnight-black, rendering eyesight useless. No-one had brought torches, and Mario's mysterious ability to conjure fire from air had failed; it would not spark to life, no matter what happened.

However, these things were unneeded, as Javelin's abnormal eyesight allowed them to avoid complete chaos. The only problem was, it never stopped the Smashers from tripping up or knocking each other over. Tempers were beginning to shorten, a situation made worse by the fact they were walking straight into a battle.

"Jav, please tell me there is light down here." Kvarsarak's voice said curtly, his words echoing throughout the darkness.

"Don't worry. The cavern goes on for another hundred feet, then widens out, and then you'll have all the light and heat you could wish for."

The Smashers plodded on, an occasional cry of frustration or pain puncturing the silence.

Then, rounding a corner, the Smashers gave a great cry as the light nearly blinded them.

All around them was lava, bubbling and making the very air roast. Orange in colour, it twisted and turned as the cavern did. Several platforms stuck rigidly out of the deadly oozing liquid. They were made of a strange green metal.

"How can anything stand that heat?" Link gasped, mopping the sweat that was already cascading down his pale forehead. "I thought lava could melt anything."

"It can," said Kvarsarak, standing beside him. The albino mercenary's pale torso was bare, his black mail shirt slung across his back. Sweat ran freely down it. "except Thorium. It's a metal found mostly near volcanoes and deserts. It can not only stand any degree of heat, it also absorbs it. That panel will be as cold as the day it was laid."

"What's this?" Mario asked suddenly, bending down. A small silver key was lying on the floor, the light emitting from the lava casting flecks of light above the boiling cavern. He picked it up and examined it in the better light. It was completely unadorned, save for the symbol of a red eye which, even though only painted on, seemed to pierce stone.

"Who knows or cares? Keep it." Marth waved it aside casually, before walking to the edge of the green platform the Smashers stood on.

"Sort of clichéd, isn't it?" remarked a grinning Kvarsarak.

"What is?" Mario asked, still staring at the strange spectacle before him.

"This getup," Kvarsarak gestured at the walls, the lava, the platforms, everything else in the room. "There always has to be fire or lava, eh? Never water or fake walls. Just plain, crappy, mediocre fire, eh?" He nudged Mario in the ribs and gave a merry laugh. Mario gave a tired chuckle, appreciating the mercenary's sense of humour. Link approached them.

"I had to do that once, go through water I mean." He shuddered playfully. "It was a bloody nightmare. I had to drain then fill the place over and over."

They might have discussed further, had Marth not returned from his minute inspection of the winding cavern in front of the Smashers.

"Javelin, is there a way to use the pulley system to get to the other side?"

Javelin scratched his chin thoughtfully. "We could, provided we can turn the crank. I can't even budge it. It must have rusted solid or something." Marth gave a small shrug.

"Stand aside. Let the noble do his work." He wandered over to the rust-brown crank that Javelin lingered idlely beside. All the Smashers eyes turned to the blue-clothed royal. Grasping it with both hands and planting his feet on the wall, Marth steadied himself, then yanked back sharply.

The lever didn't budge.

Marth's dark eyebrows met, like two black owl wings, as if suspecting some sort of trickery. He braced himself, then yanked backwards with all his strength. He was rewarded with a smack to the head when he bent to far backward. Gasping, he let go of the lever, falling back slightly. However, on seeing the grinning faces of the rest of the Smashers, he huffed his chest out with an indignant expression.

"Hah! I'd like to see one of you commoners do any bet-" he began, but was cut of then a loud groaning sound, coming overhead. Looking up, the Smashers saw the pulley chains moving at a steady pace, round and round a small thorium wheel. Unconsciously, Mario readied himself into a fighter's stance, whilst hearing the steely rasp of weapons being slowly drawn.

"Careful. It might not be one of ours…"

Laughter was heard now, low and hollow. Then the pedestal turned the final bend in the lava-filled tunnel, and Mario's eyes quite literally almost popped out of his head.

Two men were facing each other, their silver hair shimmering in the heat. One was garbed in grey boots, dark pants and tunic and a red headband, the other in the same clothes, but of a darker shade. Aside from the clothes however, the men were so identical that it was impossible to tell them apart. A few other Smashers gasped as well. But there was one who was not impressed.

Kvarsarak stood, blades freed from their sheaths, looking evilly at the two twins. He snorted hatefully.

The two twins looked up, ugly grins on their faces. The instant they laid eyes on the Smashers though, their grins froze. Their eyes became frightened, their hands crept to their belts, where a strange black sword hung. A scream tore from the lips of the one to the right.

"HEATHEN!!"

Without a second's hesitation, Kvarsarak took two quick steps before leaping of the platform, blades flashing in the orange light. With cries of despair, the two men tried to unsheathe their blades, but Kvarsarak was already upon them. He swiped aside their swords and slashed at the men's necks.

For a split moment that was the image; a kneeling Kvarsarak, the surprised looks on the men's faces, and the two blades that Kvarsarak's hands gripped tightly. Then the heads slowly slid neatly off at a slanted angle, and bounced into the lava, the bodies following a moment later.

The albino mercenary gave a grunt, before sheathing his blades and turning to face the stunned Smashers.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You…just killed those men…" Link quavered.

"I'll explain later. Get on the platform; the lever will move now." He grinned. "I'm glad, because I really didn't want to take the long way!"

-----------------------------------

"So the remnants of the First Circle are finally approaching Cerberus." Miazma's voice reverberated around the throne room of the dark ruins of the City of Dying Dreams. Currently, the elusive evil was staring at a familiar polished stone about the size of a mans head. At an angle, the Smashers stood on a sickly green platform, before it, at a very slow pace, began to wind away and leave the edge of the other platform. Viewing the stone was like looking at them through a distorted mirror.

"So they think the can emulate their forefathers, do they?" The Dreadlord's voice rumbled. He gave a dry, dark chuckle, filling the room with an endless chilling presence.

"It is time I burst that bubble of misperception." The stone before him disappeared as he stood. Slowly, his body dissolved into black mist, the remnants of his laughter eerily returning, filling the entire realm with his endless cackling.

-----------------------------------

"Are we there yet?" Link asked for the seventh time since the Smashers had stepped on the slow-moving Thorium platform that stopped them from being roasted like meat over a fire.

"No we're not." Answered Mario irritably. The snails-pace of progress was making him even more irritated than usual. Silence reigned for several moments as the black rock walls slowly crept by, before that familiar voice crept up again.

"Are we there yet?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"NO, SO STOP ASKING!" Mario literally screamed. Blushing furiously, Link bowed his head.

"Actually, yes, we are." Kvarsarak interjected, stepping forward onto a section of charred rock. "All we need to do is walk through here." He casually lifted a finger, pointing at a large obsidian door in front of him.

"Bit ominous, eh?" Link remarked as he and Mario stepped of the platform, helping Zelda off.

"Sure is." Mario grunted. Lack of food, sleep and patience left him in little mood to bandy words. All he wanted was to finish this inconvenience, crawl into a bed and forget all that had happened in the past few days.

Link looked at him softly. "Are you all right? You seem really…miserable."

Mario gave a hollow, barking laugh, low enough for only Link to hear. "Sure I'm fine, if you don't have a few deaths on your consciousness. Every time I allow myself to get a _modicum _of relaxation or comfort, those nameless men's dead faces float in front of my eyes!" He laughed that same hyena-like laugh. "I guess I'm not used it. In my usual life, I help out Toads, plumb drains and every now and then I save Peach from Bowser and his minions. I don't go on journeys to find long-dead brothers or deal with guilt this huge." He paused and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "How do you deal with it?"

Link shrugged, almost indifferently. "I fight."

Mario gave him a quizzical look. "Is that all?"

"It has to be."

On that ominous note, Mario looked away. "Why did this have to happen to me?" He pounded the nearby wall in frustration. "I'm way over my head here, Link. I should be at home, protecting the Kingdom from threat, being a quiet hero, not a marauding wanderer, looking hopelessly for something- or some_one_- I have no real chance of finding."

Link laid a gloved hand on Mario's shoulder. "I know it feels that way, but never feel sorry for saving people, even if you miss a few. _Never _do that. If you do, you might as well not be a hero at all."

Before Mario could respond, a certain albino mercenary walked up to them, his face in a thunderous scowl. "We have a problem; the entrance up ahead is blocked."

Mario groaned with disgust, and Link's voice carried outrage. "What do they expect us to do, tunnel?! Why are these things never easy?"

Kvarsarak grunted. "That's not the problem. Come with me." Without waiting for them, he about-turned and strode up to the now opened obsidian door, leaving the two friends with little choice but to follow.

Through the tunnel they travelled, twisting and turning until eventually they came into a well lit chamber, shaped in a rough semi-circle. Four of five had collapsed, but what was blocking the second on the right was not rock or flame.

It was another obsidian door, identical to the first. Twelve chains of a strange silvery metal twisted around it in a symmetrical fashion. In the centre was a black rock shaped like a wolfs head with a large empty keyhole.

"_That's _our problem." The mercenary gestured. "The doors as solid as the mountain itself."

Quite suddenly a pale yellow ball of crackling energy roared past Mario's and collided with the door, shooting a billowing cloud of dust everywhere. The group turned, only to see a smirking Vegeta.

"With my brains and power, a door isn't going to stop you." He grinned, ego swelling like an infected sore…

…until the dust cleared and he saw the door hadn't even cracked, still as looming and black as ever. It almost seemed to gloat at him.

"You're an idiot," Kvarsarak snorted. "Nothing could knock a dent in that door, never mind break it down." He looked away from a red-faced Vegeta, who was making strangled noises.

"Let it lie." Goku said firmly.

"Well, we won't be goin' anywhere unless we find the key," Javelin said quietly. Spread out and search." Before they could, a loud grating of steel on rust occurred, causing everyone to leap into the air, their weapons instantly leaving their sheaths. Turning, they saw a grinning Mario, an unchained door and a small silver key dissolving into black mist.

"Not so useless, is it now?" Mario said, directing his question at Marth. The blue-haired royal coughed with embarrassment.

"Come on, we've wasted enough time." He muttered, brushing past Mario and entering the depths the door concealed, the others following him.

Almost as soon as they entered the next room, their first impression was sight. Nine symmetrical thorium platforms hung by long chains from the dark ceiling, also made of thorium. Lava bubbled and boiled below the platforms, its orange glow bathing the room in firelight.

The next impression the Smashers encountered was warmth. The air in this room, in contrast to the others they had been in, was cool, even though the familiar sight of lava threatened them with heat death.

The last impression was smell; apart from the smell of fire and brimstone, the only other smell was one of decay, which seemed to emit from the ominous-looking door on the other side of the room, which was slightly ajar.

After a short period of silence, Javelin spoke up. "OK, this is the last 'test'. Through that door is the Cerberus Pen…" he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "…of course we still need to get across. Can anyone fly?"

Three hands raised silently; Goku, Vegeta and Gohan.

Javelin regarded them silently, the whispered to a nearby Kvarsarak, who had just finished putting his mail shirt back on.

"Can't you use a whirlwind to lift us across?"

"I'm too tired Jav," the white-haired mercenary said softly, "and we might have hit an air pocket, but there's not enough to transport this many people across this gap." His face fell as he grimaced. "I hate flying." Turning, he addressed the Smashers. "Since it's to risky to jump across this gap, I guess we need to fly over, if it within your strength." He directed the last comment at the Z Fighters.

Vegeta opened his mouth to answer the comment, but was cut off by a wave of Goku's hand. "If we must."

Just as the three Saiyans drew themselves upright to start transporting people across the deadly river, a clear, musical voice drifted down from above.

"Aww, what's wrong, hon? Turn that frown upside down!" Kvarsarak instantly stiffened.

"I remember that voice as clear as the day I heard it."

"Do I make that much of an impression?" the voice asked. Quite suddenly a tall, dark shape dropped down from the roof, landing gracefully on the centre platform. Standing up straight, Mario took a look at the mysterious newcomer…

And wished that he hadn't.

It was a woman, with short, pale blonde hair. Her features seemed breathtaking and flawless in every way. Slanted eyebrows, twinkling sea-green eyes and a finely sculpted nose and mouth, which was curved into a serene smile.

She wore a black breastplate, dangerously low cut, showing off much of her bodice and stomach. A light armoured skirt covered her milk-white calves and long armoured heels completed the newcomers look.

Several Smashers coughed uncomfortably at the woman's semi-nudity, and Mario turned away, trying to find a safe place for his eyes. One man, however, just stared hatefully at the smiling woman; Kvarsarak. Mario looked him, surprised; given the albinos reputation as a womanizer, he ought to have been drooling at this one.

The woman's voice floated over the gap. "What's wrong, sweet-cheeks? Aren't you happy to see me?"

"I make it a habit of never interfering with a _femme fatale_, Tal." Kvarsarak said testily. The woman now known as Tal waved her hand casually.

"Feh, your loss. And who?..." she said, eyeing up the Smashers for the first time, "are these delectable young men?" Admiration-and possibly lust- glittered in her eyes as she appraised the more muscular members of the Smashers. Kvarsarak simply stared stonily.

"The green in green, the one in orange and the boy are in love with food, the one in purple with himself." He replied. Tal gave a mock sigh.

"Oh well." She returned her gaze to Kvarsarak. "And now you've come to kill me?"

"It's been coming a long time."

"Pity…" she sighed again, this time in mock regret. "Under the circumstances, we might have even become _friends._" The way she said 'friends' seemed to attach some other meaning to the word.

Kvarsarak did not even bat an eyelid. "Stop sighing like a dying man, Tal. Your fluttering eyelashes and doe-eyed looks won't work on me, neither will that…" he ran his eyes over the skimpy clothes the still-smiling woman wore. "…outfit. Personally, I'm becoming a bit tired with the Dragons shadowing my every step." He grinned. "Maybe it's time I thinned their numbers a bit," He drew his twin sabres, twirling them like a pair of batons.

Tal's smile vanished, replaced by a horrible sneer. "And what will you do when our master comes for you himself?"

Kvarsarak smirked. "Do to him what I'm gonna do to you." Taking two rapid steps, he leaped of the cove where the Smashers were currently standing. In the blink of an eye, two runed seven-pointed disks appeared at Tal's side, and without sound she flung them at the descending mercenary. Like with the two men before, he swiped them aside in a flurry of rapid strikes and swiped at Tal.

The femme fatale leapt nimbly to the right, avoiding Kvarsarak's swipes, just as the white-haired mercenary turned. Kvarsarak's eyes widened with surprise when the two disks flew straight at his head. One missed by several centimetres, but the other caught him full on the head and knocked his helmet off and, despite Kvarsarak's best efforts, it bounced off the platform and into the lava, lost forever.

His face twisted into a snarl of hate, Kvarsarak spun around to face Tal. "That took me ages to steal, you bitch!" he roared. Tal gave a small giggle.

"Boys and their toys…" she uttered, rolling her eyes skyward, then faced Kvarsarak with fire in her eyes. "Well, come on then! Are you gonna fight me or mope over a piece of scrap?" With a bellow from Kvarsarak and a mockingbird laugh from Tal, they sprang at each other. Their blades locked, and their battle began.

-----------------------------------

Behind the door on the other side of the room, Cerberus lifted his head, hearing the ring of steel on steel. A conflict, this soon? It was better than anticipated. He sniffed the air. One smelled like his master's servants, but the others…

The others where his targets.

Saliva rolled down the corners of Cerberus's grinning mouth as he thought of the feast to come. And when the interlopers had been killed and devoured…

Then he would be redeemed in the eyes of his master.

_Let them come_, the monster thought with eagerness. _They will all burn._

---------------------------------

The two fighters disengaged, spinning their blades and land on the opposite platforms. Both were panting and sweaty, and they were swaying slightly.

"You're…" panted Tal, gulping in air like a landed salmon. "You're better than they say." Her breastplate heaved dangerously, and for a second Mario thought it might burst open. He covered his eyes as a safety measure.

Kvarsarak was grinning wolfishly. "You're not too bad yourself. I'm almost sorry it has to end…" he stepped forward. "_Almost._"

They both leapt at each other, each intending to restart and finish the battle with a well placed stab, but their blades never locked.

At that exact moment, a grey streak of light materialized in front of each, sending them flying backwards onto their original platforms. The second their feet touched the sickly green Thorium, four transparent walls shot up, effectively trapping both fighters. They rose, nonplussed, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Suddenly an explosion of dark mist in the centre platform drew all eyes. The mist pulled itself together to resemble a vague door shape, and a dark figure stepped out.

He was robed from head to foot in black, and his face was obscured by shadow and a thick hood that hovered above his head like a wraith. All that was visible were his hands; one was clawed, much like Kesta's, the other was covered in a plain grey glove. His red eyes and gleaming filed teeth shone through the darkness.

"Now, now, play nicely." The figure said in a dead, melancholy sounding voice, like he had experienced the sorrows of the world. He turned to Tal, who immediately bowed, pressing her forehead against the platform and intoning, "Master." The figure stared at her, but Tal's eyes never left the ground. In his dead-sounding voice, he said a single word.

"Rise." The femme fatale immediately did so. The ominous stranger turned, greeted by the Smashers stunned faces.

"And this is the remnants of the Great…" he intoned hollowly. Then he shook his head, and the hint of a smile crossed his face. "They are nothing." He turned back to Tal.

"Come now, my daughter. We must leave; we have work to do." The shield encasing her pedestal vanished, and in its place, a jet-black portal formed. The stranger waved his hand at it. "After you."

"You are most gracious, my lord," she purred. She gave a merry wink at the still-trapped Kvarsarak.

"So long, handsome." And with a giant leap, she landed on the figures platform and ran through the portal, dissolving into black mist. The stranger once again turned to face the Smashers.

"I have pressing business to attend to, so I'll leave you with Cerberus." He turned his back on the heroes, before marching up to the portal and stopping just before he entered.

Finally snapped out of his stupor, Mario cried out.

"Wait! Who are you?" The figure seemed to stiffing under the billowing clothes, then relaxed.

"I am…" he began, before stepping through the portal and vanishing into darkness. A few seconds past before the lingering echoes of his voice sounded the ending.

"…_Miazma."_

The shield around Kvarsarak vanished as the Smashers sat, stunned at what had just happened. Then, without warning, Kvarsarak bellowed, "Jump over, quickly!" making several of the group leap into the air. Effortlessly he leapt over all three platforms and landed squarely at the door. Turning, his face impatient, he roared;

"Move it!!" when the Smashers all remained prone, he clicked his fingers together. Instantly a blast of wind smacked hard against the Smashers backs. Some cried with alarm as they flew straight for the lava stream but, to their surprise, they glided over it, instead of plunging to their doom.

When the Smashers arrived at their stop, the wind instantly died away. Some couldn't stop their momentum however, and flew straight into the door. Not even bothering waiting for them, Kvarsarak ran into the final room, the Smashers following him, some nursing bruised noses.

The instant they entered the room, an icy chill washed over them, shedding the last remnants of being overheated. The room was extremely dim, but in the distance they could make out…some_thing_ huge. They hesitated, before Mario spoke up.

"It's here." He took a step forward, then turned and faced the rest of the Smashers. "Are you with me, people?"

A new unanimous "YES!" echoed, with Javelin and Kvarsarak grunting "Might as well, we've got nothing better to do." And on that note, the Smashers advanced to meet their foe, united in a living chain.

As if to counteract their sudden morale boost, the door slammed shut, plunging the room into further darkness. A growl disturbed the smell of decay and death, and a small light flickered into life to Mario's right. Slowly the light spread, forming a solid ring around the Smashers at least two hundred metres in diameter and brightening the room more and more until the walls and floor could be seen. Squinting hard enough, Mario discovered it was hundreds-if not thousands- of candles, illuminating the room. Then he turned his head to the centre of the room…

…and a hideous sight greeted him.

It was massive for a start, that much was obvious. What was less obvious was its shape; to Mario, it vaguely resembled a dog, albeit a twisted mockery of one. Six mighty legs wrapped in manacles clinked at its claws, and its tail looked so powerful Mario had no doubt it could snap a building in two with one whip. It was covered in shaggy brown fur. But it was its head that was its monstrous defining point.

Or rather, _heads_.

For it had three; the one on the right faintly resembled a snakes, although it was much broader and more rugged. The bottom of its jaw was missing, leaving its great black tongue to loll about, its saliva splashing the ground below.

The one of the left was a vague shape of a red-eyed hound of hell. Its ears were sharp, its teeth were huge and it glared balefully at the newcomers.

The centre one was perhaps the _coup de grace;_ it was little more than a skeleton. Age- or some great injury- had reduced the head to bone, its dagger teeth flashing an eager grin. A red light shone behind its empty eye sockets. None of the three heads had a nose.

The beast lifted its three heads to the sky and bellowed an untamed roar of ages past. Then it glared at the Smashers quivering forms, growled ferally and twisted its muzzle.

"I have you now." The beast growled, its muzzle twisting, as if chewing each word before spitting it out.

"The fuzzy no-nose dog can talk?" Kvarsarak said, aghast. The beast turned all three of its astoundingly different heads towards the albino.

"Yes. And now you…" he swept a massive paw around at the Smashers. "…are my feast, given to me by the great Master."

Link stepped forward. "Uhh, yeah, well, that's all well and good, but we've got a schedule to keep. So we'll just kill you quick and we'll be on our way, OK?"

The Cerberus made a deep growling that sounded almost like laughter. "How do you plan to kill me," it chuckled darkly "when all of you are the size you are?" A steely _shing _rang throughout the Smashers as they drew their blades. Kvarsarak grinned as he spoke.

"Any way we can." And he charged, Mario, Link and Javelin following him an instant later, the rest of the Smashers following him.

Cerberus lunged, fangs champing as he dove straight for Mario and Javelin. A gout of flame erupted from Mario right hand, slamming into the Cerberus's right head. It snapped back, but continued its thunderous march and swiped a massive paw at Javelin, who leapt nimbly over it and rapidly utilized his wrist-blade and short sword, hacking left and right at Cerberus's centre head. Sparks struck, but otherwise the beast was unaffected. It gave a great roar and lashed its tail, knocking an unlucky Link of his feet, sending him backwards against the wall.

Kirby pulled out his spiked hammer and proceeded to smash it against the monsters underside. A massive paw descended, and the puff-ball rolled out of reach. Kirby's delight was cut short as the chain wrapped around the monsters leg whipped around and cut in directly in the rear. With a squeal the pink Star warrior was sent flying, slamming into the wall, sending him out of the fight for now.

Cerberus delivered a powerful kick to Kvarsarak, sending the mercenary flying like a rag-doll, its eyes alive with dreadful glee, and thundered towards him, jaws wide open to devour him. But the mysterious bachelor was too wily. He drove the point of both of his blades into the monsters soft under-paw, making it back off with a bellow of fury. The mercenary took advantage of the opening. His blades glowed white as he slashed again and again at the middle right leg, before finishing with a stab and leaping back.

The Cerberus simply laughed at the attack. However, its rumbling laughter was replaced by a bellow of pain as the leg slowly crumbled into neatly diced pieces. Dark blood sprayed from the wound before the stump and blood disappeared. The Cerberus stared at the grinning mercenary, its lips drawn back in a snarl of hate, wobbling slightly from the loss of balance.

"You death will be much slower than I planned for that!" Kvarsarak grinned evilly.

"Life's filled with surprises, get used to it." The Cerberus's three heads seemed to scowl.

"Too true." The skeletal head opened its bony maw. A ball of fire erupted from it, hitting the ground at a surprised Kvarsarak's feet. It blew him into the air, then brought him down with a loud clatter.

"That'll learn him," Cerberus grunted, then turned his attention to the still-attacking Javelin. He swatted him aside with a casual strike, then turned his attention to a small group consisting of Zelda, Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and Impa. He saw them, and his mouth watered at the meal that was about to come.

What he did not see was Link and Cloud at his middle left paw, raising their swords behind their heads to deliver a mighty blow. Then as one, they brought their blades in a 180 angle, severing the leg.

The Cerberus shrieked, then tottered at the sudden lost of balance to the left, dark blood rushing out and its severed leg, stump and blood vanishing almost as soon as it hit the ground. The Cerberus groaned and toppled over, almost squashing the two Zapharians underneath. Whether it was the shriek or the fall that did it, Mario, Javelin, Kvarsarak and Kirby raised themselves and charged at the fallen Cerberus.

However, a sight caught Mario's eye; Gohan, Goku, Vegeta and Zelda, each holding a small coloured sphere in their hands, their eyes closed and their mouths rapidly whispering a strange chant. Mario strode up to them as Cerberus locked horns with Kvarsarak, Javelin, Link and Cloud and Kirby once again.

"What are you doing?!" He screamed over the roars of Cerberus. "We need your help!"

Zelda's left eye opened. "Keep him distracted. When we shout, run towards us; we need a clear shot!"

"What are you doing?!" Mario screeched again.

"Just you do your job and I'll do mine, plumber!" Zelda shot back, her opened eye and voice authoritive. "Move it!"

Growling furiously, Mario trained his eyes back to the battle. The Cerberus's huge paws were flailing, the chains whipping about like deadly bolts of lightning. All the Smashers could do was attack a few times, then dodge the rain of paw and metal.

At that instant, a burning anger began to swell within Mario's body. It was not any ordinary rage, but one that came from all the pent-up guilt and hate that had slowly poisoned his being. A feral roar tore from his lips. His skin crackled with heat.

The Smashers immediately stopped their attacks and turned to the snarling plumber. Even the Cerberus, who was busy trying to batter his attackers away in vain, raised his three heads to see what was happening. To everybody's surprise, _flames _began to sprout from the plumbers' body.An explosion of flame rang out, sending a tongue of fire billowing out, forming a vague sword shape.

Then, without word or warning, Mario-or whatever stood in his place- bulleted across the room, flaming brand in hands ready to swipe. The Smashers saw what was coming and dived to safety, but Cerberus had no such luck. Two of its heads shrank down to the floor, but the third, the jawless one, simply stared and emitted a wordless scream as the huge blade swept towards it.

At once a fist of burning air slammed into the standing Smashers, driving them back several feet. A large dark shape sailed up to the roof, then came back down to Earth with a thunderous crash. It was the severed head without a jaw, which slowly began to crumble to ashes.

The Cerberus bellowed with pain, the stump rotting to ash along with the decapitated head. It flailed its paws, it lashed out with its tail and the chains lashed long deep rends in the deep black rock. With an enormous effort, it righted itself, its teeth chattering with fury and agony.

The shade of Mario smirked evilly, then ran at it again, intending to disembowel another head. But the Cerberus was too wily. Before Mario could get a second mighty sweep of the blade of flame which he held, a massive paw swatted it aside. Hissing furiously, the figure-to everyone's astonishment- simply got back up and charged again. The Cerberus leaped back. A massive shockwave rippled off his four paws, smacking into the flaming warrior and driving him backwards. The flames wavered, then slowly dissipated, returning to a panting Mario. His face was perplexed, as if he did not understand what had happened.

The Cerberus flashed its white teeth in a smug grin. "I never fall for a trick twice, and you'll be no different." He took a step forward, shaking the cavern. "My turn." It began a casual but menacing walk towards the Smashers, who ringed around the frantically whispering Zelda and her companions.

"Whatever your doing now better work, because we're exhausted and that things coming-" Link began to mutter before Goku's happy voice cut him off.

"It's ready!" he exclaimed, sounding like a pleased baker and not a powerful fighter like he was. Vegeta's foul grunt wafted over his companions rejoicing.

"Get out the way!" The Smashers, for once, instantly obeyed.

Four beams of light emerged from the now awakened fighters; a clear white for Zelda, a virulent orange for Gohan, a sky blue for the still grinning Goku and a brimstone yellow for Vegeta, who was, for once smiling. All four beams slammed into each other, joining, melding each others strength. Zelda grinned strangely, the smirk on her fair face ungainly-looking for a princess.

"Go to hell."

The beams high-pitched whine had finally hit a roaring wind, as if it had come alive. Quite suddenly, a massive white ray roared from the focal point of the beams, eclipsing the light from the candles. A furious bellow escaped the beast as the beam collided with the skeletal head. Near instantly it blew apart, chunks of bone and a few tatters of what someone would charitably call 'skin'.

Strangely, the beast was not roaring with pain, but rather rage. "My skull!" it shrieked, barrelling around the room wildly, scattering the Smashers tight formation. Suddenly it stopped. "Oh wait, other head. Hee hee." Its giggling sound sounded maniacal.

Link rolled his eyes. "What's so funny?" The Cerberus straightened.

"The fact I am close to this individual." It indicated Kvarsarak, who was busy righting himself from the ashes of the Cerberus's jawless head. Before anyone could cry a warning, it lunged forward, scooped up the albino mercenary in one paw and tossed him into the air.

The mercenary gave a startled cry, but when he looked below and saw the endless throat of the beast, he gave a small scream before the jaws closed and he was gone, disappearing into the belly of the beast. The Smashers looked on, stunned.

Cerberus gave a rumbling laugh. "Looks like I know a few tricks too." He gazed at his next target, who happened to be a wide eyes Zelda. "Looks like this scrawny lass is the second starter." His head lunged forward, jaws wide. Zelda gave a shrill scream.

At the last possible instant, the head stopped, making choking sounds. Zelda opened her eye a fraction, only to see the towering behemoth hacking and spluttering.

Quite suddenly, a sharp blade protruded from its throat. It gasped in horror as a second blade exited from the top of its neck. The monster gave a final, wailing shriek and, with a mighty heave, the blades turned in a 360 angle, severing the head and releasing a torrent of green blood. The head bounced once, and then the body followed.

A even more stunned silence occurred, broken only when the beasts huge carcass dissolved into ash and faded away into nothing. Only the giant blood splatter remained, as did the grinning albino who caused the beasts demise; Kvarsarak.

The lucky mercenary had wedged his blades in the monsters throat and had quite literally decapitated it from inside out. He tottered up to the disgusted Smashers and gave an evil grin.

"Man, I'd kill for a shower." He said, elicting hearty chuckles from the tired fighters.

Suddenly a massive grating sound was heard, and at the opposite end of the hall, an escape exit opened. Many groaned.

"Why couldn't that have happened before?!"

---------------------------------

"So they defeated Cerberus?" Miazma said aloud, watching the tired heroes leave, contemplating on whether to destroy them or to leave them be.

_Leave them be, _he thought, grinning. _There is no glory in killing a weak opponent,_

"Enjoy your respite, dear Smashers. Because the next few days are going to be…." He vanished, laughing evilly.

_Murder._

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"Finally! Fresh air!" Link exclaimed, stretching as he left the tiny dark hole behind. He joined the last of the Smashers. Currently the were camped on a small foothill. Beyond them, the gleaming mass of Erassoke City shone, beckoning to them.

"I think we should sleep here." Kvarsarak said aloud, saying the exact opposite of what everybody wanted. Almost at once a tidal wave of objections washed over him, before he held up his mil-white hand and said.

"We wouldn't get in anyways, and climbing down a hill, no matter how small, in the dark would be asking for it." A stony silence passed, before they all agreed; they were too tired to argue.

Mario wandered to the edge of the camp, thoughts churning in his head. Had he heard it, or was there laughter as they left the mines? And the fight…

He shuddered as he recalled his transformation in every vivid detail; the evil thoughts, the fire in his mind, the strength that coursed through his limbs…

Suddenly he saw a slight movement in the dark. A vague shape stood rigidly, hovering on the edge of his vision.

"What is it?" Kvarsarak called, as he nestled beside a rock. Mario stared at the spectre, then turned and shrugged.

"I thought I saw something. Doesn't matter."

The second the sentence had been completed, Mario felt a stunning blow to the back of his head. His eyes rolled up into his head. Vaguely, he heard Kvarsarak bellow with fury, Javelin with surprise, and the hasty shing as weapons drew. The he closed his eyes, and he knew no more.

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**DONE AT LAST!!! RECORD NUMBER OF WORDS!**


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